Zimbabwe police break up protest

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Riot police in Zimbabwe's capital have broken up a protest over government plans to tighten electoral rules.

Police armed with shotguns, teargas canisters, shields and batons had surrounded the parliament building before the demonstration about the draft legislation.

Critics say the draft law is tailored to favour President Robert Mugabe, 77, ahead of next year's presidential poll.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to give Mugabe the stiffest challenge of his career in the elections.

Organisers had promised a mass demonstration, but only about 50 people marched from Harare's main shopping mall towards parliament along Nelson Mandela Avenue.

They were chased away by police and melted into the lunchtime crowd. As light rain began to fall, police deployed armoured trucks around parliament and sealed off the nearby Africa Unity Square. Shops remained open for business.

The demonstrators are angry over government proposals tabled in parliament banning local independent election monitors and private organisations from voter education.

It also wants voters to produce several documents to prove their residence, while denying voting rights to millions of Zimbabweans abroad. The largest community lives in neighbouring South Africa.

Mugabe says the NCA is a front of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which he says is working with many private organisations ahead of presidential elections due by April. The NCA denies the charge.