Zimbabwe’s opposition party says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai has won the presidential election, releasing its own results to back up the claim.  MDC Party Secretary General Tendai Biti said Mr Tsvangirai had won 50.3% of the vote to President Robert Mugabe’s 43.8%, so avoiding a run-off.

Results have yet to be officially declared but the state-run Herald newspaper has predicted a run-off.

The ruling Zanu-PF party told Reuters the MDC’s claim was “wishful thinking”.

The deputy information minister was quoted as saying Mr Mugabe was not going anywhere.

In his news conference, Mr Biti said there was “anxiety and disappointment” at the failure of the Zimbabwe Election Commission to declare presidential results.

This had produced a vacuum, he said, giving room to all sorts of rumours..