HARARE, Zimbabwe, June 27 (UPI) -- Polls closed Friday in the Zimbabwean presidential election the opposition called a sham and leaders worldwide said wasn't legitimate.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was the lone candidate on the ballot after Movement for Democratic Change leader Robert Tsvangirai withdrew, citing stepped-up violence against his supporters as the reason. Tsvangirai's name was still on the paper ballots.
The MDC has called the election a "sham" and Tsvangirai characterized the election "an exercise in mass intimidation."
George Charamba, a spokesman for Mugabe, told CNN the vote was "free and fair." Polling stations around the country were peaceful, a deputy election commissioner said.
However, Zimbabweans told the BBC they were ordered to vote or face repercussions.
"We just went to the polling station to stain our fingers (to show they voted) to avoid retribution but most people in Chitungwiza spoiled papers," one man told the British broadcasters.
Other people in rural areas of Zimbabwe said war veterans or members of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party ordered then drove voters to the polls.
Mugabe's government has been denounced worldwide for the campaign of violence and intimidation leading up to Friday's vote.
On Friday, U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey called the election "an absolutely vacant process." The spokesman said the results -- Mugabe predicted victory -- have "no standing" for the United States, the U.N. Security Council or the Group of Eight.
Friday's election came three months after Mugabe finished second to Tsvangirai in the initial ballot. While Tsvangirai captured more votes than Mugabe, he officially didn't receive the requisite majority to be declared the winner outright, forcing the runoff.
