"We've Been Attacked By Followers Of President Mugabe" – Opposition Party Members

Members of Zimbabwe's opposition MDC party say they have been attacked by followers of President Robert Mugabe.

The allegations come a day after official results from Wednesday's poll gave Mr Mugabe a seventh term in office and his Zanu-PF party three-quarters of the seats in parliament.

Eleven people in Harare and around 20 from Mashonaland province say they were attacked by known Zanu-PF supporters after the results were announced, the MDC has called the poll "fraudulent".

Its leader, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has vowed to take legal action to contest the results.
He has also said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would no longer work with Mr Mugabe's Zanu - PF party and would boycott government institutions.

The two parties have been in a coalition since 2009, after the last election sparked widespread violence.

The 11 people who claimed they were attacked in a township in the capital Harare sought refuge at the MDC party headquarters on Sunday.

Both they and those from Mashonaland province allege that they were attacked by Zanu - PF supporters who went door-to-door ordering MDC supporters and their families to pack their bags and leave.

An MDC spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, said the attacks were well planned. But a spokesman for Zanu PF, Psychology Maziwisa, denied his party was attacking opponents.

The MDC warns that it may not be able to control its angry supporters if the reports of attacks continue, our correspondent reports.

The party has appealed to the Southern African grouping, Sadc, to intervene to prevent the situation getting out of control.

Some in the MDC have called for a campaign of civil disobedience to isolate Zanu-PF.