Today

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has a slender lead in the country's presidential and legislative election.

According to official results, Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC has secured 67 parliamentary seats, while President Robert Mugabe's troubled Zanu-PF has 64.

Five of the opposition seats have been won by a breakaway group of the MDC.

In total, 210 parliamentary seats are up for grabs.

The relatively slow pace of announcements has increased fears of vote-rigging.

However, Mr Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader since 1980, has said that the vote would be free and fair.

Official presidential results have not yet been announced, but the MDC says Mr Tsvangirai has picked up 60 per cent of the presidential vote, compared with just 30 per cent for Mr Mugabe.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) claims Mr Tsvangirai has secured 49 per cent of the presidential vote, 7 per cent more than Mr Mugabe (42 per cent). Independent candidate Simba Makoni has 8 per cent, according to ZESN.

Fifty per cent is needed to avoid a run-off.

Criticism of Mr Mugabe’s government has grown rapidly in recent years following the country's alarming economic decline.

Zimbabwe's unemployment rate has reached a staggering 80 per cent, while inflation is the highest on the planet at more than 100,000 per cent.

The country's population also suffers from a lack of basic resources such as food, water, medicine and electricity.

Mr Mugabe is bidding for an astonishing sixth term in office, potentially seeing him in power until he is just short of his 90th birthday.