"I am voting for what I want, even if they kill me," she said. "I don't mind, as long as I vote for the person who's going to do something so that people don't starve. I'm voting for my grandchildren so that they can get an education."
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, citing rising political violence by Mugabe supporters, formally withdrew from the election Tuesday, informing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in writing of his decision.
International leaders and bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, have praised the Movement for Democratic Change leader's step, saying that a free and fair election is impossible at this point, given the level of intimidation by the Zimbabwean government.
Nonetheless, Mugabe, who has served as president since 1980, said at a rally in western Zimbabwe that the election must go ahead "to fulfill a legal obligation."
At Sunday's meeting, Ndaziweye knew she stuck out like a sore thumb. She was one of the few not wearing a ZANU-PF scarf or T-shirt, she said. When she tried to shake hands with people instead of touching fists, there was a chorus of accusations.
"The women and youth were accusing me of being MDC. They said 'Why are you shaking hands? You don't know our slogans!' "
But the most frightening moment came when the provincial chairman said voters would have to write the serial number of their ballot paper on their arm before entering the voting booth.
"When you come out, you have to show the number to your party chairman and they will write it down with your name and ID number. So after voting, they will know how you voted. If you are going to vote for Morgan, that will be the end of your life," she said in an interview Tuesday.
"They said, 'Even if you run away, we'll chop the heads off whoever you leave behind at your house. We don't care if it's your children or your grandchildren,' " the mother of four said.
Tobaiwa, 33, who also asked to be identified by only his first name, has been attending meetings in a suburb south of Harare every day for two weeks.
He said he was severely beaten by ZANU-PF youth militias for failing to attend one meeting because he was at work.
The message about serial numbers on the ballot papers was being repeated daily, he said.
"You are expected to memorize the last two digits of the serial number and then surrender the number to the [ZANU-PF] official. Then after the results they will go back to the ballot box and check your serial numbers."
