Thousands of people thronged the 60,000-seat National Sports Stadium and the open field dubbed Freedom Square in Harare to attend the final "victory" rallies of Zanu-PF and the MDC Alliance ahead of voting day tomorrow.
The election to choose the president, MPs and representatives in local government will be the first polls without longtime ruler Robert Mugabe.
Despite the absence of 94-year-old Mugabe, who resigned in November under military pressure, the run-up to voting day has been a high-stakes contest. The incumbent president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former liberation fighter nick-named "Crocodile", is the Zanu-PF candidate for president.
Mnangagwa's main challenger is Nelson Chamisa, a 40-year-old lawyer nicknamed "Cobra" and the leader of the MDC Alliance, a seven-party coalition.
Under Chamisa, the alliance has reinvigorated opposition ranks, which had been on the wane in recent years following successive defeats to Zanu-PF. Morgan Tsvangirai, the late leader of the MDC-T, the largest party in the alliance, faced Mugabe unsuccessfully thrice: in 2002, 2008 and 2013.But the MDC Alliance hopes to turn around its losing streak and wrest the presidency from Zanu-PF. It has anchored its campaign message around the collapse of the economy under Zanu-PF, offering the alternative of a modern infrastructure and solving the country's cash crunch "within weeks".
The MDC Alliance vowed this week that it would not recognise any announcement that did not confirm Chamisa as winner of the presidential contest. The presidential result is expected to be announced on August 4.
Chamisa arrived at the rally in a cloud of dust in a silver Toyota V8, amid wild cheers from thousands of supporters in red T-shirts shouting "Chamisa chete chete", loosely meaning "Chamisa is the only one".
The open field is near the five-star Rainbow Towers Hotel, the official command centre for the election results. It is next to the Zanu-PF headquarters.On Friday, Chamisa expressed his displeasure with Southern African Development Community chairman and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for not responding to a letter the alliance had written to him earlier this month. It is understood the alliance wants Ramaphosa to stop what it describes as the fraudulent conduct of the election, administered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
"Unfortunately, SADC seems to want to react after the event, they seem not to be proactive, they want to see blood on the streets," said Chamisa. "We don't want blood on the streets ... We have not seen any response. I am a bit worried because we are expecting President Ramaphosa to be an example of the future and of the leadership that we would want to see."
Chamisa's lawyer, Thabani Mpofu, said there was "no possibility" that Chamisa would not be the next president but that such a result would not be recognised.
The threat that the party would not accept presidential poll results that do not go its way has heightened political tensions. The security sector was put on high alert this week by the joint operations command, a unit that brings together the top brass of the army, police and state intelligence structures.Eldred Masunungure, a professor of political science at the University of Zimbabwe, said despite the ZEC giving in at the eleventh hour to some of the MDC Alliance's demands, which included the positioning of polling booths, it was clear the country was headed for a disputed outcome.
"We are to face yet another disputed election because the opposition has made it clear that it will not accept any other result besides its victory. What Chamisa said is, however, not democratically right because elections should produce a winner ... even if it is disputed, the opposition has already indicated that the courts will not judge them fairly and it is also dangerous to get into the streets as this will lead to anarchy."
The ZEC yesterday said it had printed 6.2-million ballot papers, well within the 10% extra threshold allowed under the Electoral Act.
Mnangagwa, who enjoys the backing of the military, will hope to continue Zanu-PF's rule. He has run a campaign anchored on "Zimbabwe is open for business" and re-engagement with the international community after years of isolation. He has said he would step aside if he lost the election and hand over power to a new government.
Yesterday, during his final rally, Mnangagwa said: "I have met all subsections of our society - the women, youths, war veterans, students vendors, stakeholders in education and many others - and all of them assure me that again they have renewed hope for this country.
"I have travelled all over the provinces and different parts of the country and have seen our party getting stronger. I am pleased to see people excited to see me. I heard their cries, aspirations, dreams, and I share your vision for a better Zimbabwe."We need a better and united Zimbabwe. We can only build a Zimbabwe the people want. Zanu-PF is the one that can protect the wealth and heritage of this country. Monday is the end of a long road for all of us and the beginning of a new journey. We have been peaceful and respectful. What is wanted now is one push on Monday to vote for Zanu-PF so we have a thunderous victory for this country."
Constantino Chiwenga, Mnangagwa's deputy, said voting for Mnangagwa would set the country on a path to economic recovery.
While Mnangagwa has allowed, for the first time in nearly two decades, Western election observer missions from the US, EU and Commonwealth, his biggest hurdle will be the ghost of his former mentor, Mugabe.
Zanu-PF members in Mugabe's rural home of Zvimba, Mashonaland, vowed that they would not support Mnangagwa in the election.
Edward Hondoma, a villager, said relations were strained with Mugabe because of the divisive behaviour of his wife, Grace, but this was not helped by the army pushing out Mugabe."We had our differences with Mugabe's wife - she abandoned us - but the Zanu-PF party made it worse by forcing Mugabe out of power.
"We endured Grace's lack of respect that saw Mugabe never paying attention to us, his close associates here, but this cannot see us being lured to the party again."
There has been a steady influx of Zimbabweans returning home over the weekend to cast their votes. Most flights and buses heading into Zimbabwe were full on Friday.
South Africa's Department of Home Affairs said it had increased staff at the border to help ease the flow of Zimbabweans heading home to vote...