March 28, 2008, 18:15
Zimbabwe's security forces are on full alert this evening to quash violence during the most crucial election since independence, with President Robert Mugabe facing the biggest challenge of his 28-year rule.
In one of his last rallies before tomorrow's poll, Mugabe struck a familiar theme, mocking the opposition MDC and attacking former colonial power Britain. "This is a vote against the British. The fight is not against the MDC ... the MDC is just a puppet, a mouthpiece of the British," he told 6 000 people on the outskirts of Harare.
Mugabe blames sanctions by Britain and other Western nations for the collapse of the economy in his once-prosperous nation, now suffering the world's highest inflation, at 100 000%, a virtually worthless currency, and food and fuel shortages. Police chief Augustine Chihuri said today that security and defence forces had been put on full alert and would not allow declarations of victory before official results were announced -- expected to take several days.
Mugabe faces his most formidable challenge in tomorrow's presidential, parliamentary and council elections, with a two-pronged assault from ruling party defector Simba Makoni and Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the biggest MDC faction. Both hope to exploit widespread misery caused by an catastrophic economic crisis they blame on the veteran leader, who took power at independence in 1980 after leading a guerrilla war against white rule.
If no candidate wins more than 51% of the vote on Saturday, the election will go into a second round, when the two opposition parties would likely unite. Analysts say Mugabe will do his utmost, including rigging, to avoid this happening. Analysts would also expect a violent crackdown against MDC supporters in the three-week hiatus between the two votes. - Reuters
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