Tsvangirai Agrees to Zimbabwe Runoff

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has decided to take part in a runoff presidential vote, the BBC reports, despite fears that violence and voter intimidation will skew results. The candidate has called a runoff unnecessary, insisting he received over half the original vote, but today he said his supporters would feel “betrayed” if he did not run in a second round. Official results gave him 47.9% of the vote to President Robert Mugabe’s 43.2%.

“I am ready, and the people are ready, for the final round,” Tsvangirai said from South Africa, calling for “unfettered access of all international observers.” He said he would return to Zimbabwe within 2 days. (More Morgan Tsvangirai stories.)