The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Harare

Militants from Zimbabwe's ruling party have occupied the site of the opposition party's main pre-election rally.

The Movement for Democratic Change says thousands of armed members of the ZANU-PF youth militia are at Harare's showgrounds. Witnesses say they are pulling down posters of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai is meant to have his main rally at the showgrounds, ahead of next Friday's presidential runoff against President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai won the first round but not by an absolute majority. More than 60 people, mostly opposition supporters, have been killed ahead of the vote.

Police tried to ban Sunday's rally, but a court overturned the ban on Saturday. It is unclear whether Tsvangirai will try to press ahead regardless of the notoriously violent youth militia.