HARARE, ZIMBABWE — James Moyo's eyes blinked open at 5 a.m. Friday, an election day that promised despair.
Moyo felt profound gloom, yet he could not let go of a thread of hope that maybe Zimbabwe would be brave enough to vote against President Robert Mugabe.
"I was thinking, 'Today, I am going to vote. But, yes! I am going to vote for the party of my choice!' " Moyo said, noting that opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai remained on the ballot though he had withdrawn this week from the presidential runoff. " 'I can choose him.' "
But Moyo was among many Zimbabweans who said they had faced intimidation before and during the one-candidate runoff election Friday by roaming groups of government supporters who threatened people into voting as a way to ensure a Mugabe victory. The situation was condemned by representatives of numerous nations, including the United States.
"What is going on in Zimbabwe is simply unacceptable in the 21st century and cannot be ignored by the international community," said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Observers at various polling stations said voter turnout was low. Results were expected late Saturday.
Much of Zimbabwe's population is fed up with the country's economic collapse, hyperinflation and 80% unemployment, as well as the Mugabe government's strong-arm tactics.
A sweeping mood for change saw Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in March 29 elections, and Tsvangirai best Mugabe in the presidential race then, with about 48% of the vote compared with about 43%, according to official figures.
Then Zimbabwe's military and security chiefs and liberation war veterans took over ZANU-PF's campaign to turn around the shocking defeat: A network of 900 command bases was set up across the country, mobilizing ZANU-PF youth militias to attack and beat opposition activists, drive them from their homes, burn their houses and rape women. People were forced to attend "re-education" meetings, and threatened that if they did not vote for Mugabe in the runoff they would be killed, according to people who had to go to the meetings.
Moyo insisted on voting Friday. His wife shrugged at the pointlessness, since the 84-year-old Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, had made it clear that he would not give up power.
