Mugabe rival is 'denied adverts'

Campaigning has been allowed in rural areas

Zimbabwean presidential contender Simba Makoni has been unable to place adverts in the state media, say campaigners.

"We book, we pay and they say they won't accommodate them," Mr Makoni's spokesman Denford Magora told AFP.

The comments come as rights group Amnesty International said opposition supporters were being harassed ahead of the elections on Saturday.

But the justice minister dismissed such accusations as "utter rubbish" and said the opposition was "panicking".

Mr Makoni, the former finance minister, is standing as an indepedent against President Robert Mugabe - who is looking to extend his 28 years in office.

On Tuesday, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said election workers delivering campaign material were arrested at a small airport outside the capital, Harare.

Over the weekend, the air traffic control authorities grounded a helicopter hired by the MDC, preventing its presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, from addressing party rallies.

Chewing posters

According to new electoral laws, state media is supposed to to give equal coverage to all participants in the election.

OPPOSITION POLL CONCERNS Surplus ballot papers printed Presidential votes counted centrally Tens of thousands of "ghost voters" Police allowed inside polling stations More polling stations in rural areas State media bias Food aid only given to Zanu-PF supporters Chiefs used to campaign for Zanu-PF Campaign in pictures Regional campaign round-up

"We agreed to everything that they said we should do in order to make the playing field level," Justice Minister Patrick Chinimasa said on state television.

However, Mr Magora said that over the past two weeks, eight adverts from Mr Makoni, a former finance minister, had been turned down without reason.

The US State Department has also expressed concern about electoral shortcomings and has called for action to respect "the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Zimbabwean people".

Amnesty says that while opposition parties are enjoying greater access to rural areas than in previous polls, there are still concerns.

"We continue to receive reports of intimidation, harassment and violence against perceived supporters of opposition candidates – with many in rural regions fearful that there will be retribution after the elections,” said Amnesty researcher Simeon Mawanza.

The London-based group details an incident in Bulawayo earlier this month when three MDC members were made to pull down election posters and chew and swallow them by security agents.

Prices

Amnesty says that food is still being used as a political tool by ruling party in many rural areas and voiced concern about the role of the security forces.

Robert Mugabe blames the economic problems on his enemies

"Recent statements by some security chiefs including the commissioner-general of police, the head of the prison services and army commander that they would not recognise an opposition candidate winning the election has increased the population’s anxiety," Amnesty said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the government and business leaders have agreed that prices of goods and services should not exceed the levels set by the state, the state-run Herald newspaper reports.

However, the head of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries said his organisation had no control over the informal market where a loaf of bread was sold for Z$25m (about 50 US cents on the black market) instead of the government approved price of $10m.

Earlier, President Robert Mugabe said white-owned businesses were raising prices in order to reduce his chances of being re-elected.

The government last year ordered prices to be reduced, leading to widespread shortages. Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate is 100,000% - the world's highest.