Zimbabwe began a partial recount of votes from the March 29 elections on Saturday, despite opposition efforts to block it and widespread fears political stalemate could erupt into violence.

The recount in 23 of 210 constituencies could overturn the results of the parliamentary election, which showed President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF losing its majority to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change for the first time.

ZANU-PF lost 21 out of the 23 constituencies in the original count. Results of a parallel presidential election have not been released, but MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he has won.

"The vote recounting process has started, and it's going to be a thorough exercise. We expect it to take about three days," an official with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission told Reuters. The official, who declined to be named, refused to give any details.

The electoral commission has said some foreign observers will be allowed to monitor the recount. There have been concerns in the West and among the opposition that Mugabe's government is planning to rig the outcome.

A delegation from the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be present, with South Africa's foreign affairs deputy director-general for Africa, Kingsley Mamabolo, leading the mission.

It is unclear when results of the recount, which includes votes cast in the presidential election, will be issued.

DISPUTED ELECTION

The ruling ZANU-PF triggered the procedure after it formally accused election officials of taking bribes to undercount votes for Mugabe and his ruling party and committing other electoral fraud. A number of election officials have been arrested since.

The MDC, which has declared victory in both the parliamentary and presidential races, tried to stop the recount, but Harare's High Court rejected its bid on Friday. The court had previously rejected an MDC effort to force authorities to release the result of the presidential vote.

Mugabe's opponents accuse the 84-year-old veteran leader of wrecking this once-prosperous country, where the collapse of the economy and inflation of about 165,000 percent have led to chronic shortages of water, food and fuel, and 80 percent unemployment.

The delay in announcing results has given rise to opposition fears the recount could be a ploy by Mugabe's government to steal the election. The security of the ballot boxes is a concern that could cloud or even tarnish the recount.

Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has brushed aside pressure from London, Washington and elsewhere and is preparing for an expected run-off against Tsvangirai.

The MDC has accused Mugabe of unleashing loyal militias to help him rig victory in the runoff and allowing veterans of the independence war to invade some farms, echoing a wave of land invasions that began in 2000.

The veteran ruler went on the attack on Friday, accusing former colonial power Britain of paying Zimbabweans to turn against his government.

"Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country," Mugabe told 15,000 cheering supporters who gathered in a stadium on the outskirts of Harare to mark independence day.