HARARE, March 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Polling in Gwanda in the country'ssixth parliamentary elections started as scheduled at 7 a.m. (0500GMT) on Thursday, but turnout was mixed in the urban and rural parts of the constituency, according to the official news agency New Ziana.

    Abednico Ncube of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party and Paul Themba Nyathi of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are vying for the constituency, which straddles urban Gwanda and surrounding rural areas.

    In the urban center, election officials said voter turnout was low, but heavy in the surrounding rural areas.

    Less than 20 people were seen at urban polling centers such as Gwanda High School and Jahunda Hall, when voting began, but election officials were optimistic the turnout would pick up laterin the day.

    At Mapani center, 12 km from Gwanda, and at Garanyemba Primary School, which is 30 km outside the town, voter turnout was heavier,with queues of more than 400 people being seen.

    Presiding officer at Garanyemba Primary School, Evelyn Moyo, said a lot of people had voted at the center in the morning when polling began.

    The elections are being held under guidelines established by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state in their latest summit in Mauritius in 2004.

    Counting of ballots would start immediately after the poll closed at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).

    About 5.9 million voters are eligible to vote in the elections to choose 120 lawmakers of a 150-member parliament in the southernAfrican country, with the ruling ZANU-PF and the main opposition MDC locked in a two-horse contest. Enditem