Harare/Johannesburg  - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai returned home to Zimbabwe Saturday after more than a month's absence to begin campaigning in a presidential election run-off.

Tsvangirai's arrival at Harare's international airport was a low- key affair, with no large crowds of supporters there to greet him.

He was due to address the press later.

Tsvangirai, 56, left Zimbabwe shortly after March 29 presidential elections, in which he took more votes than longtime leader Robert Mugabe, 84, but not enough, according to the official count, for an outright win.

The two are set to contest a run-off on June 27.

During Tsvangirai's absence, hundreds of his party members and supporters have been attacked by militia loyal to Mugabe for "voting wrongly" in the first round.

Tsvangirai had been due to return to Zimbabwe earlier this month but deferred the moment, claiming an assassination plot against him and other MDC leaders. Mugabe's government rejected the plot claim. (dpa)