ZIMBABWE:A ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader yesterday told supporters to keep a close watch on polling stations in next Saturday's election to stop what he said was a bid by president Robert Mugabe's government to rig the vote.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the larger faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said Mr Mugabe had stolen past elections, but vowed that his fractured party would fight any fraud in the vote on March 29th.
Mr Mugabe's 28-year hold on power faces a serious test from a resurgent Mr Tsvangirai and former finance minister Simba Makoni, who are both campaigning on a platform of ending a severe economic crisis that has ravaged the once promising country.
"We expect the enemies of justice to engage in every trick in the book. We are ready for them [ and] those who want to subvert the will of Zimbabweans," Mr Tsvangirai told thousands of jubilant supporters at a huge rally in the capital Harare.
"We are taking every measure to stop that rigging. We will not leave those polls," he said.
"When we vote, we defend those votes. When we vote, we defend our victory. Do not leave those polls."
Mr Tsvangirai's MDC came close to ousting Mr Mugabe from power in parliamentary elections in 2000 and in a presidential vote in 2002, but his credentials have been questioned since a serious split in party ranks in 2005 over strategy.
Mr Mugabe (84), in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has vowed Mr Tsvangirai will never rule Zimbabwe and yesterday repeated his vow to supporters during a rally in the second city of Bulawayo.
The veteran leader accuses the MDC of forging a "treasonous" alliance with Britain in a bid to remove him from power.