Zimbabwe has started to deploy police to try to ensure peaceful parliamentary elections which President Robert Mugabe hopes will help break international criticism of his government.
A poll free of violence and intimidation is crucial for Mugabe, fighting five years of international isolation amid charges he rigged the last major parliamentary vote and his own re-election as president in 2002.
Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) concedes that political violence has dropped this year ahead of the March 31 polls.
But it says Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party has nevertheless seized an unfair advantage, using strict security and media laws to hobble opposition campaigning and tilt the electoral landscape in its favour.
ZANU-PF has so far held 1,537 rallies, while the MDC has had 763, according to police documents.
Assistant Police Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said officers were deployed around the country to prevent any repeat of the widespread violence that marked Zimbabwe's last two elections, most of which was blamed on ZANU-PF supporters.
"We will have sufficient officers at all polling stations to ensure safety and peace for the voters. We want to assure voters that they will be able to vote in peace without fear of being harassed," Bvudzijena told Reuters.
Police have banned the carrying of knives, traditional weapons and sticks.
Mugabe has made the elimination of violence a top priority ahead of next Thursday's parliamentary vote, hoping smooth polling will torpedo criticism that the election does not meet regional standards for fairness.