Ruling party militia abducted 40 opposition polling agents near Harare early today on the eve of presidential elections, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said.
Some 60 polling agents were waiting for transport in the Harare suburb of Mbare when they were surrounded by "ZANU-PF militia" and "force-marched to the ZANU-PF offices in Mbare," said MDC spokesman Mr Percy Makombe, adding 20 had managed to escape.
The MDC alerted the police who then escorted the polling agents to the Harare Central Police Station, Mr Makombe said.
Polling agents for candidates in the weekend vote will record vote tallies made at each polling station and accompany the ballot boxes to counting centers.
Last night, the UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan urged voters in Zimbabwe to take part in the weekend presidential election and called for a fair vote free of violence.
In a statement, he encouraged the people "to exercise their democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice, without fear and in the knowledge that the ballot is secret".
In Harare, opposition candidate Mr Morgan Tsvangirai said he did not rule out a "stolen victory" by Mr Robert Mugabe, who faces his toughest election in 22 years as president.
"I attach the highest importance to the vote count being completed without interference or manipulation and the result being announced without delay," Mr Annan said.
Mr Annan also said he was "acutely concerned at reports that the elections may be accompanied or followed by violence".
In Harare, the Human Rights Forum, a coalition of rights groups, said 33 people had been killed in the run-up to the election.
AFP