Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, has warned Robert Mugabe, the president, against trying to “steal” Saturday’s election, saying it would plunge the country deeper into crisis and that the veteran autocrat would not be able to contain popular anger at such a move.

As Mr Mugabe faces his most acute electoral challenge in 28 years in power, Mr Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans would not countenance an attempt by him to imitate Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki, who was hastily sworn in as president after his country’s elections in December despite widespread irregularities in the vote-count.