President Robert Mugabe has warned that Zimbabwe's war of independence veterans are ready to fight to stop the MDC gaining power, state media report.Mr Mugabe was quoted by the Herald newspaper as saying the veterans had asked approval to take up arms but he had dissuaded them.
They said Zimbabwe was won "by the barrel of the gun" and should not be surrendered by a vote, he said.
Tensions have been high ahead of a presidential run-off poll on 27 June.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe but not the 50% needed for outright victory.
Forty of Africa's most prominent leaders - from ex-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to Archbishop Desmond Tutu - have published an open letter calling for this month's poll to be peaceful and fair.
The group - including former leaders like Ghana's Jerry Rawlings, Mozambique's Joaquim Chissano and Nigeria's Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar - also urged an end to violence and intimidation.
The government of neighbouring Botswana has summoned the Zimbabwean high commissioner to protest against the arrest of two MDC leaders on Thursday.
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