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 08 October 2008 00:16 BST

Opposition leader will contest Zimbabwe election

Saturday, 10 May 2008 12:01
Tsvangirai will be contesting the election
Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of Zimbabwe's opposition party, has confirmed that he will face Robert Mugabe in a presidential run-off.

This is despite fears that violence will surround the polls, which are taking place following a dispute surrounding the results of the original election on March 29th.

First-round polls indicated that both parties had fallen just short of the 50 per cent vote threshold needed to secure victory.

The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told reporters that he would be letting down his supporters if he failed to contest the election, which Tsvangirai said would take place no later than May 24th.

Speaking at a news conference in South Africa, he said: "I am ready, and the people are ready for the final round."

He demanded "unfettered access of all international observers".

Controversy surrounding the original vote was sparked after the MDC challenged the results, which said that the party had failed to secure the threshold needed for victory.

This was despite signs in earlier polls that the party had won more votes, leading to Mr Tsvangirai describing the results as "scandalous daylight robbery".

Although the initial elections were largely peaceful, there are now fears that supporters of President Mugabe will resort to violence in the second-round in an effort to ensure that their leader claims victory.

The MDC says that a number of its supporters have been killed and forced from their homes, but Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF Party denies the allegations.

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