Alan Liddle,Aust, the rural folks in Zimbabwe are a highly educated and politically savvy lot more so than some of their urban lot.

chenzira, London,

I was in Zimbabwe during the 2002 presidential election.Tsvangirai lost because he spent most of his time singing the usual anti-Mugabe drovel to Western ears while Mugabe was preaching his gospel to Zimbabweans at home.Just how Tsvangirai still fails to see the foolishness of his strategy beats me.

Alton Hadzisa, London, UK

Tsvangirai sees Zimbabwe army men plotting to kill him.There is no better example of political schizophrenia.Or is just a statement from a monumental coward.
In any inconclusive election only those who cheated in the first round will find all silly and spurious excuses for avoiding the re-run.

Alton Hadzisa, London, UK

Does anybody know how one could go about forcing Mugabe to hold a postal vote. We Zimbabweans living out of the country are dying to go back and we have the luxury of access to free and fair media coverage, etc. Mugabe would not stand a chance! come on! Let's work on it!!!

cecilia, Johannesburg, South Africa

I am a patriotic Zimbabwean and quite convinced that the MDC is reading the game at play wrong. MDC needs a long term stratengy whereby they defeat Zanu at its own game. Zanu-PF can only be removed by other means, not elections. I am prepared to offer my head for the alternative course.
Kufa Ndiko.

Kufa Ndiko, Toronto, Canada

It appears that Mbeki is responsible for the chinese arms getting to Zimbabwe, enabling Mugabe to carry on torturing, terrorising and murdering anyone in his way. Mbeki is the main obstacle to resolving the Zimbabwe situation, and to the advancement of Africa generally. He needs to GO!

David Ashton, Bathurst, Australia

Re: the dismay - I prefer to focus on what needs to be done.

Why are the Germans' still supplying bank notes via Giesecke & Devrient? I think this would be a good story for the Times.

What game is being played with the currency and the payment of debts - at this time when they are flat broke?

Jo, Olney, UK

Sabre rattling, why would mugabe want to assassinate Tvsangirai who will only now serve britain. .Tsvangirai is not the president Zimbabwe needs now. Mugabe should find someone from within to take over.

Muhammad, Northamptonshire,

The problem of Mugabe and his cronies' duplicities in Zimbabwe would be easily resolved by South Africa if it so wished, and it would only take two weeks: ban the export of fuel from South Africa to its delinquent neighbour, and the Zimbabwean criminal elite would be brought to its knees.

William Bemister, Oxford, England, UK

If the White West tries to "help" Zimbabwe, will it result in a Black Iraq?

Antonio, Estepona, Spain

This is shear propaganda by the opposition.The world should no that Morgan is not the president of Zimbabwe and who is he to demand security from SADC.The demand consitute nothing other than propaganda.I would want to believe if at all ZANUPF wanted to kill this lad,they would have done it ages ago

Oliver Mtyambizi, Harare, Zimbabwe

Why has the world just stood back and allowed Mugabe to continue his reign of terror in the wake of this "election"? Holding a run-off gives him further opprtunity to kill and maim opposition voters. Democracy is an illusion in Zimbabwe until this man is removed by force.

Phil, London,

Here's an iddea, Mr Tsvangirai. Advse all your followers that since you cannot guarantee their safety in their own country (well can you?), they should go to neighbouring countries. Bet that would make Mbeki think there's a crisis!!

David Ashton, Bathurst, Australia

We tell the rural Zimbabweans to vote MDC "Mugabe cannot see your vote - it is your secret!". Finally the rural people get the courage to vote mugabe out - the opposition wins. mugabe starts the killing - he does know how the people voted. And the world sits back.....

Alan Liddle, Sydney, Aus

Did Mugabe and all his agent ever have the fear of GOD in their heart ? Let this mesage get to him by all means. Let him remember idi amins. abacha of Nigeria, and all those who lives reckless live. Let all hands join together the wicked shall not go unpunish Mr mugabe turn to jesus he will save U

DANNY OLA, LONDON, UK

Pity poor Zimbabwe. NO OIL! USA can't help countries without that essential commodity - naturally. But hang on - think of Iraq & Vietnam. Christ!
Yep - better have another look at Mugabe!

Henry Kelly, Sydney, Australia

when Mugabi took over Zim he was handed a very prosperous and most successful country in Africa, the problem was he thought it was all his and down to him, in truth he could'nt run a tea party.
Mugabi and his gangsters should remember there will never be a happy ending for them or the lapdogs

sid james, lancashire, england

Mugabe will obviously win the run off election and probably assassinate the leaders of the MDC either before or after he has 'won'.
So what happens then? Does the rest of the world accept such a situation and say oh well nothing we can do..or perhaps intervene militarily and remove him by force?

Grahame, Mudgee, Australia

The United Nations has got to immediately sanction force to be taken against such dictatorships as Mugabe's. This is the 21st Century and such animals as Mugabe and the Burmese Junta should no longer be accepted as legitimate and they should both be brought to trial for human rights abuses.

John, Woking, Surrey

Why is The Times being so even-handed with a monster like Mugabe? Phrases like, 'the Opposition claims to have won the Presidency already'! Indeed. Everyone knows the MDC won the Presidential election by about 60% to 30%, and this with Mugabe employing illegal state terror and fraud to get his 30%.

Paul Francis, Brisbane, Australia

Why do papers like The Times persist with the fiction, that any electoral results issued by the likes of Mugabe, are anything but utter fraud? Mugabe is a DICTATOR. He is not a democrat. He has no legitimacy as leader of Zimbabwe. Please call a spade, a spade.

Paul Francis, Brisbane, Australia

This is all so ridiculous. The opposition should boycott this pointless election. Or maybe the UN should just issue a resolution recognizing Mugabe as Zimbabwe's president-for-life. Save the poor country from paying for another fake election and acknowledge the true situation.

gb, Austin, USA

To Mugabe, an election is an all out war. Opposition is regarded as state enemy. Difference of opinion is considered evil conspiracy. Can someone teach this monster some civilization please! The all out war means just that to him: torture, terrorise and murder the opposition.

Charan Muzaya, London, UK