A Zimbabwean state newspaper called today for a transitional government of national unity under Robert Mugabe.

The Herald, which is seen not just as a mouthpiece for President Mugabe's Zanu (PF) party but also as a barometer of its mood, said that political tensions in Zimbabwe made it impossible to hold a run-off vote.

In an editorial, the newspaper said that a transitional government should seek the help of the South African Development Community (SADC) to write a new constitution adopted after a national referendum, and to organise new elections.

"It stands to reason that, the transitional government of national unity, negotiated by the two leading contending parties, under the mediation of SADC, supported by the international community, should be led by the incumbent President," it said.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has already rejected suggestions of a second-round of voting because it claims that its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the March 29 presidential contest.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has yet to release any results from the presidential election, and is engaged in a recount after announcing that the MDC had dislodged Zanu (PF) from power in a parallel parliamentary vote.

The first result from that recount was announced today with the confirmation of a Zanu (PF) victory in the constituency of Goromonzi West constituency, a rural district near the capital.

The Electoral Commission is recounting the results from 23 constituencies, only two of which were won by Zanu (PF). Given that the MDC won 109 seats against 97 for Zanu (PF), the commission only has to reallocate seven of the seats to change the result of the election.

Mr Tsvangirai - who was today visiting Mozambique - has accused Mr Mugabe of trying to rig the election to cling on to power after 28 years.

There are signs of growing regional impatience with Mr Mugabe from neighbours, who have until now refused to take a hard line with the former liberation hero despite an economic crisis that has brought unemployment and hunger to millions of Zimbabweans.

In an unprecedented action, southern African states refused to allow a Chinese ship carrying arms to landlocked Zimbabwe to unload.

In his toughest comments yet, Jacob Zuma, leader of South Africa's ruling party leader and widely expected to be the country's next president, said: "It’s not acceptable. It’s not helping the Zimbabwean people who have gone out to ... elect the kind of party and presidential candidate they want, exercising their constitutional right."

Mr Zuma is due to meet Gordon Brown today, where the subject of Zimbabwe's turmoil is likely to top the agenda.

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