Zimbabwe presidential run-off delayed

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's run-off presidential election due this month was put off on Wednesday until as late as July, prompting the opposition to say President Robert Mugabe was trying to buy time for a crackdown.

Zimbabweans voted on March 29, but results of the disputed vote were only released on May 2.

They showed opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mugabe, but not with enough votes to avoid a run-off that should have been held within 21 days of the results.

In a special government gazette published on Wednesday, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said on behalf of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, or ZEC:

"The period within which a second election for the office of the president is hereby extended from 21 days to 90 days from the date of announcement of results of the first poll."

That means the second round of voting for president may only take place in July -- four months after Zimbabweans first cast parliamentary and presidential ballots -- which could heighten tensions and spark further violence.

In the parliamentary vote, the ruling ZANU-PF party lost its majority to the opposition for the first time since independence from Britain in 1980. The new parliament has not yet sat.

An opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman said of the delay: "This is illegal and unfair. It is part of a programme to give Mugabe and ZANU-PF time to torment and continue a campaign of violence on the MDC."