Campaigning ahead of Zimbabwe’s presidential election will be conducted on the ground and in the courts after outgoing president Mr Robert Mugabe, over-ruled the country’s Supreme Court ruling over election monitoring.
Followers of challenger Mr Morgan Tsvangirai claim Mr Mugabe could only win this weekend's poll by stealing it - and vowed to fight through the courts.
The vote on Saturday and Sunday is set to be Zimbabwe's closest and has exposed the deep political and economic crisis gripping the southern African state that since independence from Britain in 1980.
Mr Mugabe (78) has vowed to win the poll, accusing his opponents of being stooges of the former colonial power and a vehicle for a return to white rule.
He used presidential powers yesterday to reinstate election rules which the Supreme Court declared illegal last week and which critics say favor his re-election bid.
The controversial General Laws Amendments Act gives state-appointed election officers powers to bar independent vote monitors, to introduce strict identity requirements for voters and ban private organizations from voter education.
"This is a clear demonstration that Mr Mugabe is determined to hang on to power by all means, but mostly foul," said political analyst Mr Masipula Sithole.
Zimbabwe's Electoral Supervisory Commission, whose members are Mugabe appointees, is expected to brief observers and the media on Wednesday on just how the vote will be run.
The role of independent observers has turned into a key issue, with some foreign countries complaining of restrictions.
A 23-strong South Africa non-governmental observer team was refused accreditation yesterday and told to leave the country.
The European Union last month pulled out its observer team after Harare refused to accredit its leader. The EU and the United States imposed selective sanctions against Mr Mugabe and his inner circle in protest.
Mr Tsavingarai’s Movement for Democratic Change, which is hoping to turn public anger over a crumbling economy and severe food shortages into victory at the polls, accuses ZANU-PF of using a militia disguised as a youth training service to terrorise the opposition.
Mr Mugabe and his party have denied orchestrating a campaign of intimidation and rejected allegations that it is trying to fix the polls, and blamed pre-election violence on the MDC.
Some 5.6 million Zimbabweans will go to the polls at a time of severe food shortages caused by drought and the state-sanctioned invasions of white-owned farms which have slashed maize output.
The United Nations has warned half a million Zimbabweans face food shortages.