By ANGUS SHAW
Harare - Zimbabwe's presidential run-off cannot take place in the time set by law, the head of the electoral commission said in an interview published on Sunday.
"It was ambitious for the legislature to think 21 days would be enough," George Chiweshe was quoted as saying in the state-run Sunday Mail.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has insisted that the vote should be held within 21 days of the May 2 announcement of the results from the first vote, but Zimbabwean government officials have said the electoral commission has up to a year to hold the run-off.
Tsvangirai said on Saturday that he would return to the country to contest the run-off against President Mugabe, despite threats to his life.
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Chiweshe said there were legal provisions to extend the period before the election is held.
"We want to make it clear we intend to hold the runoff at the earliest date because the period set by the legislature shows that it should be held as soon as possible," he was quoted as saying in the paper.
He said the electoral body was still waiting for the allocation of funds from the government to hold the poll.
It took the commission more than a month to announce results from the March 29 election.
Tsvangirai maintains he won the first round outright and that official figures showing a second round was necessary were fraudulent.
Mugabe has been accused of orchestrating violence against the opposition since the first round, raising questions about whether a runoff would be free or fair. Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party, meanwhile, has already launched its runoff campaign.
Tsvangirai said on Saturday at a news conference in South Africa that although another election may bring more violence he will return shortly to Zimbabwe to face Mugabe.
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