Final push in Zimbabwe election

A final day of campaigning has begun in Zimbabwe's general election, amid opposition fears of widespread vote-rigging in Saturday's poll.

The two main rivals to President Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni, have said there are severe discrepancies in voter lists.

Mr Mugabe insists the vote is fair and everyone should abide by the results.

There have been few reliable opinion polls. A candidate must win 50% of the presidential vote to avoid a run-off.

Media access

Mr Mugabe, 84, has led the country since independence in 1980.

Mr Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and Mr Makoni, an ex-finance minister and independent candidate, on Thursday issued a joint statement expressing severe concerns about the poll.

They said they had still not received full nationwide voters' lists that could be verified.

They also believe there has been an unexplained increase in voter registration in rural areas where Mr Mugabe is strongest.

The BBC's Southern Africa correspondent, Peter Biles, says another major worry is that there may not be enough polling stations in urban areas.

He says there is also concern about equal access to the media.

Noel Kututwa, chairman of the independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network, said: "The opposition has only now been able to advertise on the television and in the newspapers, after the first foreign observers arrived.

"So it's only two weeks now that you are getting [a more open media]."

The foreign observers are only from nations the Zimbabwean government considers "friendly", and the West has been largely barred.

The government has accused Britain and the US of already having decided that the elections will not be free and fair.

It also accuses the MDC of introducing the language of "election rigging" in the country.

Sanctions

A total of 5.9 million people are eligible to vote in Saturday's joint local, senate, assembly and presidential polls.

The campaign has largely been free of violence.

Two of the key issues have been inflation - Zimbabwe has the world's highest rate at more than 100,000% - and unemployment, running at about 80%.

Mr Makoni, who left the government in 2002, said repairing the economy would be a long task.

"This is not about the first six months after March 29 or even the first five years... it could range from 10 to 15 years," he told AFP news agency.

Mr Mugabe blames Western sanctions for the economic troubles.

"The British, the Americans... would rather see our children, the old and the infirm suffer under the weight of their evil sanctions they have imposed as part of their desire to effect the regime change in our country," he said on Thursday.

He also warned his opponents not to protest if they did not win the elections.

"Just dare try it," said Mr Mugabe at one of his final campaign rallies.

"We don't play around while you try to please your British allies."

BBC Online