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Tsvangirai to run in second round | Tsvangirai to run in second round |
(30 minutes later) | |
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he will contest a presidential run-off, despite fears of widespread poll violence. | Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he will contest a presidential run-off, despite fears of widespread poll violence. |
Speaking from Pretoria in South Africa, he said his supporters would feel "betrayed" if he did not stand. | Speaking from Pretoria in South Africa, he said his supporters would feel "betrayed" if he did not stand. |
Mr Tsvangirai called for an end to violence, as well as full access by international monitors and media. | Mr Tsvangirai called for an end to violence, as well as full access by international monitors and media. |
Official first-round results put him ahead of President Robert Mugabe, but not by enough votes to win outright. | Official first-round results put him ahead of President Robert Mugabe, but not by enough votes to win outright. |
Mr Tsvangirai had earlier insisted he had secured more than 50% of the vote, and that there was therefore no need for a second round. | Mr Tsvangirai had earlier insisted he had secured more than 50% of the vote, and that there was therefore no need for a second round. |
class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7386316.stm">Accounts of violence class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7391688.stm">Militias 'to rig election' | |
But on Saturday, he told reporters in Pretoria that his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would contest the run-off. | |
"I am ready, and the people are ready for the final round," he said. | "I am ready, and the people are ready for the final round," he said. |
He went on to demand "unfettered access of all international observers" and journalist covering the vote. | |
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has not yet set a date for the run-off. | |
Mr Tsvangirai said it should take place by 23 May - within three weeks of the first-round results being declared. | |
Returning home | |
According to these official declarations, he won 47.9% of the vote, against 43.2% for Mr Mugabe. | |
Mr Tsvangirai said he would soon return to Zimbabwe, but did not give a date. | Mr Tsvangirai said he would soon return to Zimbabwe, but did not give a date. |
Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for close to 30 years | |
Although the first round was largely peaceful, the results were not announced until 2 May. | |
The MDC says the delay gave the authorities time to rig the counting and carry out attacks on its supporters in anticipation of a run-off. | |
A trade union official on Thursday said that 40,000 farm-workers and their relatives had fled their homes because of violent attacks | |
The MDC says at least 25 of its supporters have been killed since the first round, and hundreds have been forced from their homes in rural areas. | |
But police and officials from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party have accused the MDC of staging attacks, while accusing the MDC of exaggerating the scale of the violence. | |
Mr Mugabe has been in office since independence in 1980. |