MDC: Violence getting worse

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Johannesburg - Supporters of Zimbabwe's opposition party are under increasing attack as the nation awaits word on when a presidential run-off will be held, an official said on Wednesday.

It took Zimbabwe's electoral commission more than a month to announce results from the March 29 first round of voting. Independent rights activists have accused the ruling party of using that time to mount a campaign of violence and intimidation to undermine support for the opposition before a run-off.

More attacks have been reported since May 2, when electoral officials announced that Movement for Democratic Change president Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes on March 29, but not the majority needed to avoid a second round with President Robert Mugabe.

The violence is "actually getting worse," Tendai Biti, secretary general of Tsvangirai's party, told The Associated Press. He said three opposition supporters had been shot and killed on Tuesday, and accused Mugabe of using the period before the run-off "to continue executing his coup d'etat against the constitution".

Shupikai Mashereni, director of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, told the AP on Wednesday that no date had been set for the run-off. He said he might not have more information until next week.

The opposition maintains Tsvangirai won the first round outright and has not said whether it will take part in a run-off. Mugabe will run; his party is already campaigning.

"If Mugabe thinks he's going to get a default presidency, that will be over our dead bodies," Biti said on Wednesday. He said his party had options other than contesting the second round to challenge Mugabe, but he would not elaborate.

Also Wednesday, Sapa quoted the head of the South African delegation that observed the March 29 vote as saying a run-off cannot take place amid the current violence.

"There is violence; for us it's no longer important who you attribute it to," Kingsley Mamabolo was quoted as saying. "Indeed you cannot have the next round taking place in this atmosphere; it will not be helpful."

- SAPA