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HARARE - Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday called off his scheduled return home because of what his party declared a "credible" assassination plot against him.
Since the March 29 election, when he pushed Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe into second place but fell short of an absolute majority, Tsvangirai has spent most of his time abroad.
He said he needed to rally international support against Mugabe's Zanu-PF Government, but also admitted he feared for his safety.
The result of the presidential poll was withheld for nearly five weeks, amid increasing violence, before it was announced that the run-off would be held on June 27.
The Movement for Democratic Change leader returned to his base in Johannesburg yesterday from Belfast, where he addressed the Liberal International Conference. He was on his way to his office, from where he was due to head for Johannesburg airport, when he received the plot warning.
MDC spokesman George Sibotshiwe would not say if Government officials were implicated, but complained the Government had refused to take threats to Tsvangirai seriously.
He said MDC was working with regional leaders instead of the Government to organise bodyguards and safe vehicles in Zimbabwe for its leader.
"It's almost impossible to work with the Zimbabwean Government."
Tsvangirai had been due to address a party caucus in the capital, Harare, yesterday and an MDC rally in the second city of Bulawayo today.
It is not clear when he will return, but few believe a free and fair election can be held in a month's time as the level of violence and intimidation is constantly rising.
The MDC says at least 40 of its supporters have been killed and hundreds more beaten as Zanu-PF takes revenge for its election setback.
- INDEPENDENT
