Tsvangirai to run in second round
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he will contest a presidential run-off, despite fears of widespread poll violence. Speaking in South Africa, he said people would feel "betrayed" if he did not run, and vowed to return shortly. 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. 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. On Saturday, he told reporters that his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had faced a "very difficult" decision but that after consulting supporters in Zimbabwe, it had decided to take part. "I am ready, and the people are ready for the final round," he said. The opposition leader went on to demand "unfettered access of all international observers" and journalists covering the vote.
No choice for Tsvangirai Accounts of violence Militias 'to rig election' He also called for the deployment of southern African peacekeepers to curtail any violence. The BBC's Peter Greste in Johannesburg says the announcement was not a big surprise, as boycotting the poll would have meant handing victory to President Mugabe by default. Our correspondent says Mr Tsvangirai has to get home soon - as long as he remains outside Zimbabwe, it will be hard to maintain the support he needs to win the run-off. The MDC leader said he expected to return to Zimbabwe in the next two days. Beatings 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. Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for close to 30 years According to these official declarations, he won 47.9% of the vote, against 43.2% for Mr Mugabe. 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. Are you in Zimbabwe? Do you support Mr Tsvangirai's decision? Send your comments using the form below: Name
Your E-mail address
Town & Country
Phone number (optional):
Comments
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.
Terms & Conditions
E-mail this to a friend Printable version Bookmark with: Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon What are these?
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has said today that he will be standing for the presidential run-off election against incumbent Robert Mugabe.

"The MDC has decided that we will contest the run-off election," he told reporters at a conference in Pretoria, South Africa, where he has been staying for the last month. He said his supporters would feel "betrayed" if he didn't stand and that the people are "ready for the final round".

Despite the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's (ZEC) official declaration that Mr. Tsvangirai won 47.9% against Mr. Mugabe's 43.2% in the first round, the MDC claims that they won it outright, gaining over 50%. They are sure that Mugabe's Zanu-PF party have used the time since the first round to rig votes and intimidate the electorate.

The MDC has also called for "unfettered access of all international observers," eventhough Mr. Mugabe has imposed bans on journalists  from outside Zimbabwe reporting within the country.

The ZEC has yet to announce when the run-off will take place, but Mr. Tsvangirai said it should take place by 23 May.