Photo: IRIN

Voting in Zimbabwe (file photo)

The MDC-T has raised concern that their supporters are being increasingly intimidated ahead of Wednesday's crucial elections.

Nelson Chamisa, the party national organising secretary, said there has been lot of intimidation against their supporters in Mudzi, Mberengwa, Gutu and other parts of Masvingo province.

In Mudzi, Chamisa said ZANU PF has resuscitated its bases where their supporters are being forced to attend meetings against their will.

In Manicaland there are reports that ZANU PF is now employing various intimidation tactics, where known perpetrators of the 2008 poll violence are threatening to beat up or even kill those who will not vote for Mugabe in Wednesday's polls.

In Mberengwa, Biggie Chitoro, the notorious war veterans' leader who caused terror in the district during the 2008 elections is reportedly roaming around threatening villagers that he will deal with them if they vote for the MDC-T.

For two months after the March 2008 polls, the country was consumed by violence and forced evictions. The ZANU PF militia, aided by the partisan security forces cracked down on known MDC supporters, killing over 500, maiming thousands more and forced half a million others from their homes.

Surprisingly nobody has yet been convicted by the courts. Human rights activists routinely point out that no ZANU PF activists, party members, armed state security agents or ministers or generals who incited and funded the trigger-happy gangs have been held to account to the bloody violence five years ago.

Since 2000, after the formation of the MDC, elections in Zimbabwe have been divisive and violent. There have been disturbances in 2002, and again in 2005 before 2008 exploded.