ZIMBABWE:ZIMBABWE'S MAIN opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, says he will take part in a second-round presidential run-off if regional election officials and international observers are involved in the creation of a safe electoral environment. BILL CORCORANreports from Johannesburg
The opposition MDC, the Movement for Democratic Change, has insisted its leader would not take part in a two-way rerun of the March 29th poll because its tallies showed he had defeated incumbent president Robert Mugabe by an absolute majority and was therefore the outright winner.
The party has also said the ruling regime has been creating an intimidating and violent environment over the past 17 days that would make a free and fair contest impossible. Independent tallies suggest Mr Tsvangirai has probably won the presidential election, but that he did not receive the 50 per cent plus one vote needed to prevent a run-off.
The state-appointed electoral body says it cannot release the official vote tally until it verifies results from a recount, insisted upon in 23 constituencies by the ruling regime, that is scheduled for next Saturday.
In an interview with South Africa's private e.tv channel, Mr Tsvangirai accused Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party of trying to lay the groundwork for a run-off which would be fixed in its favour.
"I can tell you honestly that we will not be part of that unless a new electoral environment is assured with the participation of SADC [ the Southern African Development Community], and participation of the international community," he said.
The MDC leader's softening line on the issue came as it became apparent yesterday that an indefinite nationwide strike called by the party to press for the release of the country's presidential result had drawn a muted response.
According to local reports, morning traffic in most urban areas was typically heavy and stores and banks opened. Despite the availability of information leaflets, many Zimbabweans appeared ill-informed about the action.
The government's decision to provide additional police and soldiers across Harare and other cities yesterday has also prevented political rallies, which have been banned, from taking place.
The state-run Herald newspaper called the strike "illegal" yesterday and said police would "deal severely with anyone who breaches the law".
"The National Reaction Force has been activated with the beefing up of police officers" to protect Zimbabweans who wanted to go to work as usual, assistant police commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena was quoted as saying.
With no sign of a resolution to the electoral impasse in sight, reports of intimidation and violence continue to surface daily.
According to a media watchdog, Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe, state-run radio stations have started to play songs that encourage violence against "political sell-outs", a term often used by Mr Mugabe to describe his political opponents.
The MDC said yesterday a second supporter has been killed. To date MDC 200 supporters have been hospitalised after attacks by thugs loyal to the ruling regime.
Temba Muronde was beaten to death in the northeastern Mudzi district, a rural stronghold of Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF, according to the party, while the head of an independent local election monitoring group, which indicated its tallies had shown that Mr Mugabe had lost to Mr Tsvangirai in the election has been arrested.
Elsewhere, Zimbabwe Election Support Network director Rindai Chipfunde-Vava was arrested on arrival from Britain via Johannesburg at Harare airport, its chairman Noel Kututwa said.
Meanwhile, South Africa's ruling ANC, in an implicit criticism of President Thabo Mbeki, said the situation in Zimbabwe was "dire" and was having a negative impact on all of southern Africa.
Mr Mbeki, who has long pursued "quiet diplomacy" in Zimbabwe, said before a summit of the Southern African Development Community at the weekend that there was no post-election crisis in the neighbouring country.
However a statement by the ANC's national working committee said it "regards the situation in Zimbabwe as dire, with negative consequences for the SADC region".