Zimbabwe opposition rejects presidential run-off

By Nelson Banya

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC will not participate in a presidential run-off against Robert Mugabe, a top party official said on Thursday, after reports of escalating violence deepened a post-election crisis.

The Movement for Democratic Change believes its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the outright majority in the March 29 election he needed to avoid a second round. But if he does not contest, Mugabe is automatically declared the winner.

"Our official position still remains the same that we are not participating," MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti told reporters in Cape Town.

But he added the party will hold talks with civic society groups from Zimbabwe in Pretoria on Saturday and hold a news conference afterwards "to put this issue to rest".

South Africa's Foreign Ministry said President Thabo Mbeki, who has been a primary regional mediator in Zimbabwe, will travel to Harare on Friday to meet political leaders.

"During his visit President Mbeki is expected to interact with the Zimbabwean political leadership," said Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for South Africa's department of foreign affairs.

Mbeki, who has faced a barrage of criticism for not taking a tough line with Mugabe, had said there was no crisis in his southern African neighbor. Tsvangirai has said Mbeki was no longer fit to mediate in Zimbabwe.

INTIMIDATION

Weeks of political stalemate have increased tensions in Zimbabwe, which is suffering an economic meltdown that has sent millions of people fleeing to neighboring countries and left those who remain struggling with the world's highest inflation rate, rampant unemployment and shortages of basic necessities.

Critics have accused the ruling ZANU-PF party of resorting to violence to frighten voters.

Farmers' groups said ZANU-PF has pushed 40,000 workers off farms in a campaign targeting supporters of the opposition ahead of a possible presidential run-off. The groups said armed youth militias drove workers off the farms.

"We have had security agents going out to the farms, addressing the farm workers," Gertrude Hambira, general secretary of the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers' Union of Zimbabwe, told a news conference in Johannesburg.

"Some of them saying that we need to discipline you because you voted for the opposition," she said adding, 400 workers were in hiding and three were in hospital after being assaulted.

Zimbabwe's government rejects accusations from the opposition, human rights groups and Western countries that ZANU-PF has launched a campaign of violence to ensure Mugabe wins a run-off. The party says the MDC has carried out attacks.

The White House renewed its call on Mugabe and his supporters on Thursday to end "violence and intimidation".