Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his strongest challenger, Morgan Tsvangirai, are expected to resume their election campaigns Monday, ahead of March 9 and 10 presidential balloting.

Sunday, President Mugabe addressed three separate campaign rallies in the capital.

Several thousand gathered at one rally where the president devoted much of his speech to blasting Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler. He accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of favoring the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

During his campaign day, Mr. Tsvangirai told 15,000 of his supporters that the only way he can lose the election is if President Mugabe rigs the vote. Mr. Tsvangirai leads the Movement for Democratic Change and has mounted the most serious challenge President Mugabe has ever faced during his 22 years in power.

The Zimbabwe election campaign has been marred by intimidation and violence. The Movement for Democratic Change says 107 of its members have been killed in political violence over the past two years.

Zimbabwe is suffering from severe shortages of corn meal because of drought and reduced output on farms occupied by supporters of Mr. Mugabe's land policies.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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