Mugabe's election machine leaves opposition in fear When president Robert ­Mugabe's supporters swept into Zimbabwe's eastern city of ­Mutare in trucks and buses for a rally on Monday this week, they closed it down. The normally-bustling markets in Sakubva township were deserted. Stallholders hid at home or were pressed to attend. "Those people, they were not from here," said taxi-driver Wellington. "They were from Chipinge, Rusape, Chimanimani," naming towns all at least two hours" drive away. It is ­always the same. The [opposition] MDC rallies, everybody wants to go to those. There is no fear there. People are tired of this. We just want change. But the main thing is, we don't want there to be violence. The two things that have characterised the run-up to next Wednesday's poll are hope - and barely-cloaked hatred. The hope is plain for all to see on the Movement for Democratic Change's Facebook pages. "Morgan is more," supporters post over and over again, and "Only the truth shall set us free." Social media has boomed in Zimbabwe since the last polls five years ago - 58 per cent of Zimbabweans now have internet access. New sites are mushrooming, promising to post results, albeit illegally, from polling stations in real-time. A victory for Morgan Tsvangirai seemed guaranteed back in March 2008 as state radio began announcing wins for the MDC leader from many polling stations. But then the announcements stopped. Five weeks after polling, the state Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said that a run-off was necessary because ­although Mr Tsvangirai had garnered more votes, his margin of victory was too small. About 200 MDC supporters were killed in the violence that followed. "I don't think the president will win this time," says father-of-two Innocent, only willing to speak in the privacy of his car. After 13 years of anti-Western propaganda, few Zimbabweans dare speak in the street to a foreigner. "It's true, some people like him," he concedes, when asked about the huge turnouts at Mr Mugabe's rallies. But for most people, they go because of fear. To protect themselves. Even some of those who have Mugabe posters on their cars, they do not like him. You can hear the hatred in Mr Mugabe's party Zanu-PF's ­vicious verbal attacks on the MDC leader both on state radio and at rallies. It is hard to believe that not long ago Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, who were forced to form a coalition government in early 2009, met for a cordial pot of tea and pancakes every Monday - but then former trade unionist Mr Tsvangirai is the only real rival Mr Mugabe has had in his 33 unbroken years in power. The MDC has no way of hitting back at Xanu-PF - insulting Mr Mugabe can land you in jail.