Zimbabwe

Tsvangirai to return for election run-off

Article published on the 2008-05-11 Latest update 2008-05-11 09:10 TU

Morgan Tsvangirai at the Pretoria press conference
(Photo: AFP)

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he will take part in the run-off of presidential elections, but only under certain conditions. At a press conference in Pretoria Saturday, Tsvangirai promised to return to his country within two days, despite the threat of a treason charge. His supporters claim that dozens of people have been killed and many more tortured since the first round vote.

Tsvangirai, who beat incumbent President Robert Mugabe in the first round of voting, told journalists that he will take part in the second round, despite the risk of "more violence, more gloom, more betrayal.

But he said that the vote must take place before 24 May.

And he set other conditions - that election-linked violence end, that international observers should be allowed into the country, that changes are made to the electoral commission, that the media are free to report and that African peacekeepers are present.

For the ruling Zanu-PF party, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa rejected outside interference and "any conditionalities outside our legislation".

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) claims that more than 30 of its supporters have been killed since the first round of voting, with thousands of others tortured or injured.  The government disputes the figures.

The White House called for UN human rights monitors to ensure an end to violence against opposition activists.