I speculated earlier that last night’s raids may have been an attempt to provoke street protests by MDC supporters, but that it didn’t seem to have worked. Now it seems the tactics may be getting sneaker – albeit more typically Zanu-PF’s style:

Reports coming through from Zimbabwe indicate that the stalling of an announcement on the results of the Presidential elections could be a mechanism for buying time and provoking violence in order to mobilise the armed forces and militia against the people.

Yesterday afternoon, Zanu PF youths dressed in the regalia of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party visited the MDC’s headquarters at Harvest House in Harare, saying that “we must demonstrate on the streets”.

Fortunately, the MDC received prior warning and the situation was defused.

This was followed by an intelligence report earlier this morning that Zanu PF had called in youths to their headquarters in Harare. They were told that the MDC had brought back all of the white people from the region to take back the farms. They were also fed the traditional Zanu PF rhetoric that Zimbabweans – through their voting – have demonstrated they no longer believe.

According to our sources, they were then planning to march to Harvest House and provoke a situation. Riot police have been put on stand by to “deal with any situations”.

A report just received from the Masvingo in the south of the country warns that armed men are being deployed in the rural areas.

Zimbabwe is on a knife edge. The MDC says it is absolutely essential for South Africa and neighbouring countries to act now as the situation is extremely volatile.

The Zimbabwean government has acted with ruthlessness in the past and all indications are that it will do so again.

We will keep you informed of developments.

Zanu-PF Politburo meeting reportedly just ended. The BBC reports that the party has given their support for Mugabe to participate in a run-off vote. The above shenanigans, and other reports on the ground that roadblocks are going up in Harare and Bulawayo, seem to suggest Bob’s decided not to go without a fight. And knowing him, that fight could get very bloody.