Armed police prevented Zimbabwe opposition lawyers from entering the High Court on Saturday to apply for an order forcing the release of presidential election results. Three police officers blocked Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni from entering the building, a Reuters correspondent on the scene said. The MDC wants the High Court to order the electoral commission to release results from last Saturday's vote. A long delay has roused opposition suspicions that President Robert Mugabe is buying time to organise a fightback. “We can't go in. They are threatening to shoot. They are saying no one enters the court,” lawyer Alec Muchadehama told reporters outside the building. The case had been due to be heard at noon (1000 GMT). A Reuters journalist said the police appeared to have come from the president's offices opposite the High Court where they were on guard duty. More police then arrived. The MDC says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe and should be declared president of Zimbabwe where economic collapse has reduced much of its people to misery. Projections by the ruling ZANU-PF party and independent monitors suggest Tsvangirai will fall short of the absolute majority needed to avoid a second round. There are strong signs that Mugabe's government is preparing for a counter-offensive after it lost control of parliament for the first time in his 28-year rule. South African President Thabo Mbeki told the international community on Saturday to wait for full election results from Zimbabwe, saying it was not time for action. “No, it's time to wait,” Mbeki said when asked if it was time for the international community to take action over the post-election crisis in Zimbabwe. “Let's see the outcome of the election results,” Mbeki told reporters as he arrived at a conference of “progressive governance” leaders hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown near London. “I think the situation for now is manageable. If there is a rerun of the presidential election lets see what comes out of that.” The opposition Movement for Democratic Change -- which says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai defeated President Robert Mugabe in the presidential election -- has urged the United Nations to intervene to prevent violence from breaking out. Armed police on Saturday prevented Zimbabwe opposition lawyers from entering the High Court in Harare to apply for an order forcing the release of presidential election results. Mugabe has signalled he wants to fight to extend his 28-year rule. Mbeki, seen as one of Africa's most influential leaders,will discuss the Zimbabwe situation with Brown later on Saturday, a spokesman for Brown's office said. Brown greeted Mbeki at the start of the conference. The spokesman could provide no further details on the bilateral talks. __
