South Africa and the European Union (EU) said on Friday that the outcome of the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe should "clearly reflects the will of the people of Zimbabwe."

An independent Zimbabwe election monitoring group said Wednesday many of the nation's 6.2 million voters will not be likely to cast their ballots if elections are not delayed.

Tens of thousands of police and polling officials in Zimbabwe on Sunday began to cast their ballots in a two-day early voting prior to the July 31 general elections as they will be busy on duty by then.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission has pledged to announce the result of the upcoming presidential election within five days.

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party has formed a coalition with two other opposition parties in a bid to bolster their chances to challenge President Robert Mugabe and his party in the upcoming general election, local media reported Monday.

Southern African leaders on Saturday urged Zimbabwe to delay the holding of general elections on July 31 as set by its veteran leader Robert Mugabe, citing the need for more time to prepare the electoral process.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has announced plans for a nationwide presidential election at the end of July, despite objections from the prime minister.

Zimbabwe on Monday began the month- long voter registration, an important step towards holding the presidential, parliamentary, and local elections possibly within two months.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said here on Sunday that Africa should be allowed to have a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai's efforts to get first times voters to register are being undermined by a concerted effort from the authorities, who are cracking down on individuals and groups seen mobilizing youths to register.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has said he will not accept foreign interference during elections later this year.

The European Union has removed 81 Zimbabwean individuals and eight companies off its sanctions list, leaving on the travel ban the last ten influential people including President Robert Mugabe, his wife Grace Mugabe, and top military officials, reports said Tuesday.

A Zimbabwean court on Friday postponed a bail appeal to release the nation's top rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Team on Sunday endorsed the conduct of the Zimbabwe constitutional referendum, saying that it was conducted in a free, peaceful and transparent manner.

Three officials from Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai' MDC-T office were arrested Sunday morning, party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora told Xinhua.

People in the South African country of Zimbabwe are heading to the polls for a referendum on the nation’s new constitution that would limit powers of the incumbent President Robert Mugabe.

Millions of Zimbabweans are expected to vote Saturday on a draft constitution that will for the first time limit the term of a president.

Zimbabwe's inclusive government has yet to decide on whether to ban observers from certain foreign countries for the weekend's constitutional referendum and elections later this year, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Tuesday

The European Union said on Monday that it has removed 21 loyalists of Zimbabwe's president from a sanctions list of people facing travel and banking bans.

Zimbabwe's tourist operators have said the year 2012 has seen an influx in the number of hunters and tourists into the country, which is a sign of better prospects next year.