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No date set for Morgan Tsvangirai's presidential run-off with Robert Mugabe

The presidential run-off pitting president Robert Mugabe against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will not be held in the next few weeks as required by law, the head of the electoral commission has announced.

Mr Tsvangirai announced over the weekend that he would participate in a run-off against Mr Mugabe - but insisted the vote must legally be held within 21 days of the May 2 announcement of results from the first vote.

Electoral commission chief George Chiweshe confirmed that is what electoral laws require, but he said government officials need more time to prepare for the run-off.

Government officials have said the electoral commission has up to a year to hold the second round.

"It was ambitious for the legislature to think 21 days would be enough," Mr Chiweshe said.

He said there are legal provisions to extend the period before the election is held.

"We want to make it clear we intend to hold the run-off at the earliest date because the period set by the legislature shows that it should be held as soon as possible," he said.

Mr Chiweshe said the electoral body was still waiting for the allocation of funds from the government to hold the poll.

It took the commission more than a month to announce results from the disputed March 29 presidential election.

Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, maintains that he won the first round outright and claims the official figures were fraudulent.