Zimbabweans will go to the ballot to choose the country's President in six days time. The election, which has been dubbed the make or break poll for the two leaders could mark the end of political careers for either man.
Morgan Tsvangirai, a trade unionist who formed a labour-backed party in 1999, the Movement for Democratic Change is regarded as the only emerging politician in post independent Zimbabwe to give 89-year-old President Robert Mugabe "sleepless nights and nightmares."
Mugabe,a veteran politician, who leads the revolutionary Zanu PF party has been in power for a record 33 years and admirers say his 'grip' on power for three decades has been mainly through a mixture of shrewdness, tactics, political experience and wisdom. His critics however argue he uses a recipe of ruthlessness, fear, manipulation and intelligence.
The 89-year-old ruler was first Prime Minister when the Southern African country gained her independence in 1980. In 1987, when the post of PM was abolished he became the country's first executive president, a post he has held to date.
Though there have been some opposition political parties since 1980, they have not been able to make the impact that Tsvangirai's MDC caused in the country's political environment.
In the June 2000 parliamentary elections, Tsvangirai was able to shellac Mugabe's Zanu PF through winning 57 seats in the 120 parliament, a feat no other opposition party has been able to achieve in post independent Zimbabwe. Zanu PF won 63 seats.
MDC also caused an upset to Zanu PF in the 2001 Local government elections, when it won most of the mayoral and council seats, including the capital Harare and the second largest city, Bulawayo. In 2002, Tsvangirai's political graph continued to rise when he stood against Mugabe in the presidential race.
Though Mugabe beat Tsvangirai 56 % to 42 %, the latter argued that the outcome of the election was not a fair one as the plebiscite was characterised by state sponsored violence, uneven media environment and manipulation of the voters roll.
In the March 2005 parliamentary elections, Zanu PF garnered 78 seats while MDC had 41 seats. Mugabe's party attributed the increased seats to "pro-people policies", particularly the controversial land reform programme. Tsvangirai's MDC, however maintained that the continued crackdown on its members was the main reason its House of Assembly seats dropped.
Perhaps one of the major political achievements Tsvangirai gained was to beat Mugabe in the 28 March 2008 election, something no other person had done in the political history of the country.
Though the disputed official results released more than a month after the polls showed Tsvangirai beat Mugabe by 47.8% to 43.2%, the MDC argued that the results were rigged and claimed it had won by a majority vote to allow Tsvangirai the right to State House.
But Mugabe's Zanu PF argued that the MDC leader had failed to win by more than 50% hence a run-off was supposed to be held.
Tsvangirai boycotted the run-off, citing intimidation and violence against his supporters and Mugabe won the poll without the main opposition contest and declared himself winner.
But pressure from the regional and international arena forced Mugabe to agree to a power sharing arrangement with Tsvangirai which resulted in the MDC leader inaugurated Prime Minister on 11 February 2009.
All the above developments are now water under the bridge. The country goes to harmonised elections on the 31st July or next Wednesday to be precise.
At the end of next week, Zimbabwe should have a new president, that is if the candidate win above 50% of the total votes cast. In the event
that fails to happen a run-off election is expected around September.
Last Sunday Tsvangirai told thousands of his supporters in the country's third largest city, Gweru at Mkoba stadium that the coming election "is the dawn of a new era, a new Zimbabwe."
He said despite manipulation of the electoral processes by Zanu PF, his party was "confident of winning and resuscitate the country's industries to create jobs."
Tomorrow, Mugabe will address his party faithful at the same venue (Mkoba stadium, Gweru) on a campaign trail anchored on indigenisation and empowerment.
But the make or break poll is just next Wednesday.
