A man sticks an election campaign poster of President Robert Mugabe onto a commuter bus at a local gas station in Bulawayo June 24, 2008. African pressure mounted on Tuesday for Mugabe to call off a June 27 election after the UN Security Council issued an unprecedented condemnation of violence against opposition supporters.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) 

Tsvangirai, who is pitted against ZANU-PF candidate President Robert Mugabe in the election, announced Sunday his withdrawal from the race, saying political violence and intimidation made the run-off difficult to be a free and fair poll.

Justice Chiweshe told observers and other stakeholders on Monday that the country would still hold credible elections despite the various incidences of political violence that occurred.

"We do not have a war in the country, generally there is peace," he said. "You never have an election (anywhere in the world) that is 100 percent perfect and I believe we can hold a free and fair election."

He said the commission was ready for the election as logistics had been put in place.

The Friday run-off follows failure by both candidates to garner a majority vote in the harmonized elections held on March 29.

Three by-elections are also to be held on Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2008)