The main opposition party in Zimbabwe, the MDC is trying to apply for a court order to force poling officials to release the full details of the election results and bring an end to the presidential limbo that has struck the country.

Since the people went to the polls on Saturday there has been rumour and counter rumour regarding the exact results with both the ruling Zanu-PF party of Robert Mugabe and the main opposition party, led my Morgan Tsvangirai, the Movement for Democratic Change, claiming victory.

It was recently announced that the MDC had in fact won the election however it is unsure who has won the Presidential vote and this has caused the current delay. It is feared that Mugabe is causing this delay whilst he tries to figure out how he can swing the result in his favour. Mr Chasima a spokesman for the MDC said ‘this is what we want to avoid rather than the international community having to intervene after there has been bloodshed.’

The MDC will present their application today with spokesman Alec Muchadehama telling the AFP news agency the party was doing “everything in our powers” to have its petition heard on Saturday at Harare High Court.

However the international community fears that this delay will mean a repeat of the violence seen in 2000 when Mugabe was defeated in a referendum, although his party have said they will support him if there is a re-election for the presidential position he has held since 1987.

Gordon Brown is to hold talks today with South African President Thabo Mbeki to discuss the best way to proceed. The South African leader has called on the UN to offer support to the people of Zimbabwe ‘The UN has to make sure that there is no violence … they should not (wait to) come when there is blood in the street, blood in the villages.’

With countries such as America, Britain, France and most of Africa condemning the delay the international holds its breath in an anticipation of the next chapter of this troubled nation.