Militias 'part' of police in Zimbabwe vote

HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 9 (UPI) -- Militias indicated they plan to intimidate voters by posing as police officers during a presidential election runoff in Zimbabwe, police said.

The militiamen wearing police uniforms planned to be inside polling stations during the runoff between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, a police officer told the BBC.

The information was revealed Friday as South African President Thabo Mbeki prepared to travel to Zimbabwe discuss the volatile situation with Mugabe.

The Zimbabwe Election Commission determined Tsvangirai won the presidential election, but didn't reach the 50-percent threshold to win outright, forcing a runoff.

"The war veterans will be wearing police uniforms," the police officer told the British broadcaster. "They will be given ranks and force numbers. They'll be part and parcel of the police deployed in every ward. So when people come in to vote they will see war veterans from their area in among the police, and they will be intimidated."

MDC leaders said its supporters have been targeted by the Mugabe supporters of Mugabe ahead of the runoff, which the election commission said could be delayed up to a year instead of the constitutionally required 21 days after the results are official.