Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will return to the nation today to kick off his campaign trail.

Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), will arrive in Harare in order to prepare for a weekend rally that is due to take place in the Zimbabwean city of Bulawayo.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters: "President Tsvangirai will be arriving tomorrow after a successful diplomatic offensive. We expect him around 12.30 pm [1030 GMT]."

He added that the rally in Bulawayo will be a "crucial meeting".

Despite claiming previously that he would not face a run-off against President Mugabe, a second round of elections will now take place on June 27th.

Tsvangirai claims that his party won an absolute majority in the first round of voting, which would give the MDC presidential control of Zimbabwe.

He told the AFP: "Mugabe lost that first round, 57 percent of the people who cast their vote did not vote for him.

"I am so confident that in spite of the violence, come the second round they will reconfirm that rejection."

Since the results of the controversial March election were announced, Tsvangirai has been out of the country meeting with international political leaders trying to gather support for his party.

Until this weekend he had not considered it safe for him to remain in Zimbabwe due to threats on his life.

Reports of violence and human rights abuses by pro-government militias have also emerged from the country since the March election.

Furthermore, the MDC claims that more than 30 of its supporters have been killed in the political unrest.
© Adfero Ltd