Voters went to the polls Sunday in two suburbs of the Zimbabwe
capital Harare on the second day of key by-elections as opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned of more anti-government
protests.
There were some reports that scuffles broke out near the close of polls being held in the populous suburbs of Kuwadzana and Highfield, where residents were voting to choose new legislators.
President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union -Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) had vowed to win the seats back from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
While state television said voting had been "generally peaceful", eyewitnesses and the opposition said scuffles had broken out in Kuwadzana between opposition and ruling party supporters.
Tensions had been rising ahead of the poll, which comes just a day ahead of an ultimatum by the MDC for the government to address demands on democracy, human rights and law and order.
A defiant Tsvangirai on Sunday said the government had "totally refused even to consider the demands of the people" and warned of a "final peaceful thrust towards our freedom".
The opposition claimed the weekend polls were not free and fair.
Details of the alleged scuffles were sketchy. Opposition spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said ZANU-PF supporters "started chasing people out of voting queues.
"They then started beating up people in the queues," he told AFP.
Police officials contacted by AFP were unable to comment, while one eyewitness suggested that opposition supporters had confronted ruling party members.
"ZANU-PF fired shots in the air" to get the MDC to retreat, the eyewitness, a local journalist, told AFP.
Earlier, a spokesman for the official Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) said there were no reports of violence.
"There is no violence anywhere as we speak and voting is continuing," Bvuma told AFP.
He also denied claims from the MDC that ruling party supporters had forced the early closure of polling stations.
"No polling station has been closed," he said.
State Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) said late Sunday that close to 30,000 people had voted out of some 88,000 registered in the two constituencies.
Voting on Sunday morning started slowly, possibly because many Zimbabweans go to church. This followed a tense day of voting on Saturday.
Mugabe had called on his supporters to relegate the MDC to the "electoral scrap heap".
The MDC says the elections have been marred by widespread intimidation of voters.
Nelson Chamisa, the MDC candidate for Kuwadzana told a press conference on Sunday afternoon: "The circumstances and environment are not conducive for a free and fair election." The party alleged the voters' rolls for the two suburbs had been inflated with non-residents and that ZANU-PF had been buying votes with hand-outs of the scarce national staple, maize-meal.
"We are making this complaint not because we are anticipating loss... we are making this on the basis of principle," Chamisa said.
There were claims that three MDC vehicles were stoned over the weekend by ZANU-PF supporters.
Around 1,500 prospective voters were turned away for not having the correct papers or trying to vote in the wrong constituency, state television said.
The high political stakes in the Harare polls are being played against reports of growing calls from Mugabe supporters for the detention of Tsvangirai.
"Arrest Tsvangirai, say local leaders," read the headline in the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper.
On Friday Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said that Tsvangirai, already on trial for high treason, should not be allowed to take advantage of being out of custody to "orchestrate acts of violence".
Tsvangirai renewed Sunday his threat that the MDC would embark on peaceful mass action if their demands for the government to address issues on human rights, democracy and governance were not met by Monday.
He said his party's supporters had the right to protest peacefully and, although he did not provide specific dates or details, said the government could soon expect a "final push that will restore our sovereignty, liberty and freedom." The results are due by mid-day Monday - Sapa-AFP
There were some reports that scuffles broke out near the close of polls being held in the populous suburbs of Kuwadzana and Highfield, where residents were voting to choose new legislators.
President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union -Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) had vowed to win the seats back from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
While state television said voting had been "generally peaceful", eyewitnesses and the opposition said scuffles had broken out in Kuwadzana between opposition and ruling party supporters.
Tensions had been rising ahead of the poll, which comes just a day ahead of an ultimatum by the MDC for the government to address demands on democracy, human rights and law and order.
A defiant Tsvangirai on Sunday said the government had "totally refused even to consider the demands of the people" and warned of a "final peaceful thrust towards our freedom".
The opposition claimed the weekend polls were not free and fair.
Details of the alleged scuffles were sketchy. Opposition spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said ZANU-PF supporters "started chasing people out of voting queues.
"They then started beating up people in the queues," he told AFP.
Police officials contacted by AFP were unable to comment, while one eyewitness suggested that opposition supporters had confronted ruling party members.
"ZANU-PF fired shots in the air" to get the MDC to retreat, the eyewitness, a local journalist, told AFP.
Earlier, a spokesman for the official Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) said there were no reports of violence.
"There is no violence anywhere as we speak and voting is continuing," Bvuma told AFP.
He also denied claims from the MDC that ruling party supporters had forced the early closure of polling stations.
"No polling station has been closed," he said.
State Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) said late Sunday that close to 30,000 people had voted out of some 88,000 registered in the two constituencies.
Voting on Sunday morning started slowly, possibly because many Zimbabweans go to church. This followed a tense day of voting on Saturday.
Mugabe had called on his supporters to relegate the MDC to the "electoral scrap heap".
The MDC says the elections have been marred by widespread intimidation of voters.
Nelson Chamisa, the MDC candidate for Kuwadzana told a press conference on Sunday afternoon: "The circumstances and environment are not conducive for a free and fair election." The party alleged the voters' rolls for the two suburbs had been inflated with non-residents and that ZANU-PF had been buying votes with hand-outs of the scarce national staple, maize-meal.
"We are making this complaint not because we are anticipating loss... we are making this on the basis of principle," Chamisa said.
There were claims that three MDC vehicles were stoned over the weekend by ZANU-PF supporters.
Around 1,500 prospective voters were turned away for not having the correct papers or trying to vote in the wrong constituency, state television said.
The high political stakes in the Harare polls are being played against reports of growing calls from Mugabe supporters for the detention of Tsvangirai.
"Arrest Tsvangirai, say local leaders," read the headline in the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper.
On Friday Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said that Tsvangirai, already on trial for high treason, should not be allowed to take advantage of being out of custody to "orchestrate acts of violence".
Tsvangirai renewed Sunday his threat that the MDC would embark on peaceful mass action if their demands for the government to address issues on human rights, democracy and governance were not met by Monday.
He said his party's supporters had the right to protest peacefully and, although he did not provide specific dates or details, said the government could soon expect a "final push that will restore our sovereignty, liberty and freedom." The results are due by mid-day Monday - Sapa-AFP
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