Zimbabwe's MDC says Mugabe preparing violence

By Muchena Zigomo

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition on Saturday accused President Robert Mugabe of deploying militias for a war to reverse the result of last weekend's election.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Mugabe was "preparing a war on the people" and readying loyal forces, including liberation war veterans, ahead of a presidential runoff vote.

"Militants are being rehabilitated," Tsvangirai told a press conference, adding that the central bank was printing money "for the finance of violence".

The MDC says it won last weekend's presidential vote.

Official results show the MDC won a parallel vote in which Mugabe's ZANU-PF lost control of parliament for the first time -- the biggest defeat of Mugabe's 28-year rule.

ZANU-PF and independent projections show Tsvangirai being forced into a presidential runoff after failing to win an absolute majority.

"The circumstances have changed, ZANU-PF has threatened, has deployed militias, has deployed war veterans," Tsvangirai said.

"It is unfair ... for President Mugabe to even hint at a runoff. Violence will be the new weapon to reverse the people's will. We won this election without the need for a runoff."