Zimbabwe’s armed services chiefs issued an ominous warning on the eve of today’s presidential election, aimed at deterring opposition supporters from taking to the streets in protest should President Mugabe be declared the winner.

A joint statement by the heads of the defence forces, the army, air force, secret police and the prisons department announced that security forces were “on full alert” and said “that those who think and do evil, must fear”. Military armoured personnel carriers full of heavily armed soldiers were on patrol around Harare in a show of force. Thousands of paramilitary police were also stationed on street corners.

The statement cautioned “those who have been breathing fire about Kenyan-style violence” and said that the military chiefs “will not tolerate” candidates who “foment disorder and mayhem”. They also urged voters to go home after voting “and await the results in the comfort of their homes”.

The remarks were directed at the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the biggest faction of the divided Movement for Democratic Change, who appeared last night to be riding a surge of demand for change after 28 years of rule by Mr Mugabe.

Mr Tsvangirai, backed by reports from numerous independent poll monitoring organisations, has repeatedly given warning that Mr Mugabe will “steal the election” and has told voters to wait at the polling stations after casting their ballots, “to defend your vote”. He also declared that he would not accept a result that made Mr Mugabe the winner.

General Constantine Chiwenga, commander of the defence forces, and the prisons commissioner, Paradzayi Zimondi, both declared that they would not salute Mr Tsvangirai if he were elected. Augustine Chihuri, the police commissioner, called him “a puppet”. Observers say that a committee of top military and intelligence officers close to Mr Mugabe recognises that strong support for Mr Tsvangirai represents the most serious challenge yet to his continued rule.

About 11,000 polling stations are due to open at 7am as voters choose between Mr Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni, Mr Mugabe’s former finance minister. His challenge was expected to lure a large chunk of traditional ruling party support away from Mr Mugabe. Parliamentary and local government elections are being held simultaneously.

Alarm over manipulation of the vote rose amid reports that government officials, aided by ruling party militias, were rounding up people in rural areas and forcing them to be registered to vote. The MDC has accused the Government of printing millions of surplus ballot papers, claiming that nine million papers were ordered for 5.9 million registered voters.

Irene Petras, of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said the organisation had received reports that indicated that the practice was widespread around the country.

Mr Mugabe has repeatedly declared that: “Tsvangirai will never, never, never rule this country.”

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