Tsvangirai vows to veto polls without prior reforms

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai vowed Wednesday to block President Robert Mugabe's efforts to set a date for key elections before democratic reforms are implemented.

"You can't set a date of an election without my concurrence. Period. I will not give legitimacy to that election date unless we agree," Tsvangirai told civil society organisations.

The country's Constitutional Court last month ruled that elections must be held by July 31 this year to end the coalition government between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Mugabe, who favours early polls, has accepted the ruling.

But Tsvangirai argues for a later vote, pending reforms aimed at ensuring the elections will be free and fair.