Pretoria - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Saturday he would take part in a runoff presidential election against incumbent President Robert Mugabe.

The MDC leader topped the poll in the March 29 elections, taking 47.9 per cent of the votes to Mugabe's 43.2 per cent in official results. A runoff is called for when no candidate takes more than 50 per cent. It must be by May 24.

The MDC had initially objected to a runoff, insisting that its count of votes showed Tsvangirai won outright. (dpa)