March 29 (Reuters) - Zimbabweans voted on Saturday in the most crucial election since independence from Britain in 1980, with veteran President Robert Mugabe facing the biggest challenge of his 28-year-rule. Below are some quotes from voters, presidential candidates and election officials: PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE "Why should I cheat? The people are there supporting us. The moment the people stop supporting you, then that's the moment you should quit politics." MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, leader of main opposition MDC faction "I want to assure you that the people's victory is assured, despite the regime's attempts to subvert the people's will. We are absolutely confident that the outcome will be in favour of the people." TENDAI BITI, secretary general of main MDC faction "The issue which is going to be problematic in the elections is the number of voters being turned away. We have done surveys in (five Harare constituencies) and we have realised that hundreds of people are being turned away." PRINCE MATSIKA, an elderly man who says he has voted in all past elections since independence "I have been turned away because they say my name is not on the voters' roll. It doesn't make sense because I have never failed to vote before." ERIC JEKE, gardener huddling in a small group at bonfire outside a polling station "I came here an hour ago thinking they would be lots of people and was surprised to find just a few. I hope more people will come and vote because this is a very important election." THEMBANI NCUBE, 38, employee of an NGO in Bulawayo "This time, there are very few people, that is why I'm actually perturbed." ANDREW MAUNGA, voter at a Bulawayo primary school "I've been here since 530 a.m. (0330 GMT). But the progress is slow since they started." BETTY SITHUTHU, 35, a voter at Gadade village in Umguza in the opposition stronghold of Matabeleland province. "We just hope that this voting of ours will change the way that we are living here. "As you can see there is no food in our fields. We hope that the new government coming in will look after us and our children." SAGODOLU SIKHOSANA, Sithuthu's neighbour "Things have been too hard for too long. I think now there needs to be a change and they (government) need to take us more seriously." GERTRUDE MUZANENHAMO, a 36-year-old mother of three "My biggest concern is education. We are paying money but our children are not learning because teachers are always on strike." "People are dying in hospitals and funeral expenses are very high, how do you expect us to survive? Shop shelves are empty. If we vote things might get back to normal," she said, adding that she had joined the queue to vote at 3.30 am (0130 GMT). LEO KARIWO, a voter who slept outside a polling station "I can't say Zimbabweans are cowards or that they are cautious, they are peace-loving people, but if Mugabe steals the election there will surely be trouble in this country." SAMUEL FURUTSA, a voter in Harare's Mufakose township "They brought in armoured vehicles and water tanks and lots of police officers yesterday. Tell us ... what is that supposed to mean? That is intimidation but we will not be cowed, we have nothing to lose my friend but we are hungry, I tell you." SHARON KABAIRA, a hairdresser in Kambuzuma township "I am really worried by the fact that we are now paying rentals in foreign currency. I want to vote to make sure that when I vote we will be able to pay rentals in our local currency and that the new leaders will reduce inflation. "The problem in this country is that there very few people who have the means. It should not be like that, wealth should be evenly distributed." CHRISTOPHER MUKWATAMARI, an unemployed youth. "Life is difficult, so I expect my vote to help bring change." NADIA MARABINI, a white Zimbabwean at a polling station "A new government, that's what I need. What we need is an intelligent, well-managed government that will satisfy the needs of Zimbabweans of all walks of life." EMMA DODZO, an elderly woman huddling under a blanket with three other women "We have been here since 11 p.m. last night. We want to vote early, because there could be massive turnout, as you can see." GEORGE CHIWESHE, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairman "At this polling station the turnout looks very high. The proceedings are very orderly. It looks like we will have a very good election day and the weather is very favourable." (Reporting by Cris Chinaka, Stella Mapenzauswa, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Nelson Banya, and Muchena Zigomo; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Ruling ZANU P.F. parliamentary candidate Judith Mkwanda stands in front of her house, which was bombed by unknown people on the eve of the elections, in Zimbabwe's second largest city of ...
