SOUTH AFRICA - Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has agreed to a run-off round in the presidential elections.

 

In the first round in March he beat president Robert Mugabe, but according to the Electoral Commission he did not get enough votes to win outright.

 

 

Results were delayed for five weeks. Early this month it was announced that Tsvangirai had polled 47.9 percent of the votes and Mugabe 43.2.

 

The MDC opposition party claims the results have been tampered with, which is why Tsvangirai initially refused to accept a second round.

 

He changed his mind because the Election Commission decided that Mugabe will be declared the winner if the MDC boycotts a second round.

 

Observers

Tsvangirai has set a number of conditions. He wants foreign observers and media to be allowed into Zambabwe. And Tsvangirai says the run-off should be held before 24 May, and not on that day, as the Harare government wants.

 

The opposition leader says it was a difficult choice. He is standing in the second round in order to prevent his supporters feeling betrayed.

 

"I am ready for it, and so are the people," Tsvangirai said from the South African city of Pretoria, from where he will return soon to Zimbabwe.

 

He is callikng for an end to the political violence that has increased markedly. Since the first round of the elections at least thirty MDC supporters are said to have been murdered.

 

Mbeki

Tsvangirai has asked the fourteen-country South African Development Community to send observers. SADC mediator, president Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, arrived in Zimbabwe on Saturday for talks with the government.

 

Tsvangirai has let it be known that he wants Mbeki to step down as mediator because he is too much on Mugabe's side.