Head of mission Jose Marcos Barrica said statements by military and police that they would only welcome a victory by President Robert Mugabe’s government would have been worrying if they were made by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) or the political leader of the Republic. “It could have worried us if (threats) were from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission or from the political leader of the Republic,” said Barrica said. Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander, General Constantine Chiwenga two weeks declared that the military was prepared to salute Mugabe only, in what analysts said was a clear threat to stage a military coup in the event the veteran leader lost the March 29 polls. Police chief Augustine Chihuri last Friday vowed he would not allow “western-backed puppets” to rule Zimbabwe, repeating similar comments made last month by the head of the prison service, retired army major-general Paradzayi Zimondi. The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has raised concern over the security threats while neighbouring South Africa’s ruling African National Congress on Monday called on the security forces not to take sides in the elections.However, Barrica appeared to play down the threats by security commanders telling journalists in Harare that they were irresponsible statements, not an institutional position and should be no cause for concern. The SADC chief observer, who said Harare-based European diplomats had also raised concern over the statements by security commanders, said his mission had met with representatives of the ruling ZANU PF party, MDC and other players. He said issues discussed during meetings included charges of intolerance, intimidation, delays in publishing the voters’ roll and that there were insufficient ballot boxes for the joint presidential, parliamentary and local government polls. The government side had also charged that external forces were funding the opposition and that there were plans to incite civil revolt, accusations that Barrica said were normal in any election but not necessarily true.The military is credited with keeping Mugabe in power, always ready to use brutal tactics to keep public discontent in check in the face of an economic meltdown that has spawned hyperinflation and shortages of food, fuel, essential medicines, hard cash and just about every basic survival commodity.Political analysts say support from the military as well as a skewed political playing field is enough to ensure victory for Mugabe despite Zimbabwe’s deepening hunger and economic crisis.