A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's opposition leader, on Saturday sought to reclaim the initiative in his country's political crisis, saying he would return to his homeland in the next two days to contest a run-off election against President Robert Mugabe.

His pledge ended several weeks of public equivocation within the opposition Movement for Democratic Change over whether to take part in a second round in the face of a campaign of violent intimidation of MDC activists by Mr Mugabe's supporters.

Addressing a press conference in Pretoria, the capital of neighbouring South Africa, Mr Tsvangirai sounded a defiant note.

"I am ready, the people are ready," he said. "I intend to return as shortly as possible and intend to begin a victory tour."

Of course, given the Mugabe regime's outright theft when it came to disclosing the results of the first round of presidential voting, Tsvangirai has a precondition he believes needs to be accommodated:

He added, however, that his participation was conditional on the government giving full access to international observers and media for the second round. He also called on the Southern African Development Community to send peacekeepers to ensure the vote took place without intimidation and repression.

And of course, this precondition got the expected response from the Mugabe regime:

However, it appeared that Zimbabwe's crisis was set to continue after the justice minister, Patrick Chinamasa, a close aide of Mr Mugabe, rejected the MDC's conditions on Saturday.

Tsvangirai is right, nevertheless, to resolve to fight out the second round. But everyone and their pet canaries ought to be prepared for another bout of fraud from the Mugabe regime, a regime that has made clear its intention to do anything to ensure that it does not lose power.