Zimbabwe opposition still undecided on runoff

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's main opposition party said on Saturday it was still undecided on whether its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, should take part in a run-off election against President Robert Mugabe.

Election officials announced on Friday that Tsvangirai, who heads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had beaten Mugabe in the March 29 presidential poll but failed to win the absolute majority necessary to avoid a second ballot.

The MDC has accused election officials of rigging the results, which showed Tsvangirai won 47.9 percent of the vote to Mugabe's 43.2 percent. The party says Tsvangirai won the election outright and Mugabe's rule is over.

But it has not signaled how it will handle the run-off.

"If you want a 'yes' or 'no' answer, it's not going to come (for now) because there are issues that have to be clarified," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said at a news conference after the party's national executive met to discuss the run-off.

The government said it expected the MDC to take part.

"We know they are going to participate in the run-off but want to buy time because they are not ready," Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said.

The MDC reaffirmed its position that Tsvangirai had won the election outright and that there was no need for a run-off. It said its representatives had not been allowed to verify results.