Zimbabwe election run-off - Simba won't back anyone

Simba Makoni, who came third in Zimbabwe's presidential election on 29 March, says he will back neither candidate in the run-off vote in June.

Mr Makoni, once President Robert Mugabe's finance minister, told the BBC he felt there should be no second round, but a unity government instead.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvanigrai beat Mr Mugabe in the first round, but not by enough to avoid a run-off.

There have been warnings that post-poll unrest makes a fair run-off impossible.

Correspondents say hospitals have been struggling to cope with admissions as a result of what is widely perceived to be a government campaign of intimidation against opposition supporters.

Earlier this week, Mr Tsvangirai said more than 50 members of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party had been killed in the political violence since 29 March.

Large numbers of people had also been displaced, he said.

President Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party denies supporting violence and says the West is trying to demonise Zimbabwe.

Mr Makoni, who stood as an independent in March and took 8.3% of the vote, said he felt the way forward was for everyone to work together towards a government of national unity.

Source: BBC