Via the BBC: Tsvangirai flies back to Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has returned to Harare to begin his presidential election run-off campaign, after spending weeks abroad.

The Movement for Democratic Change leader’s first engagement was to visit supporters hurt in political violence.

Mr Tsvangirai said they had vowed to “finish off” President Robert Mugabe in the 27 June second round vote.

Mr Tsvangirai’s return was delayed amid an alleged army plan to kill him, which the ruling party said was “fantasy”.

Sadly, even if is a “fantasy,” it is a rather believable one. Given that Tsangirai has been in self-imposed exile for about two months in South Africa and elsewhere clearly demonstrate that something is amiss in Zimbabwean politics. Part of the reason for his absence has been to obtain outside support, but much of it seems to be for personal safety reasons as well while the ZEC figured out who won the election, which finally decided the following official tally:

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said Mr Tsvangirai won 47.9% of the vote, with Mr Mugabe taking 43.2%.

The LAT has a stunning piece on the current situation in Zimbabwe, including the violence aimed at the opposition and the threat of a coup should Mugabe fail to win the run-off.