Zimbabwe's main opposition party is to defy security laws and hold rallies and meetings without police clearance, its leader Morgan Tsvangirai has announced.

The proposed action - ignoring strict public order and security laws introduced before March's controversial presidential elections - will open the way for the arrest of members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

If anyone thinks we are not doing enough, just wait

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai

But Mr Tsvangirai said action had to be taken against what he called the "illegal regime" of President Robert Mugabe, the man who beat him to lead Zimbabwe.

The MDC also announced it was starting a court challenge to stop local elections set for this weekend, saying hundreds of its candidates were being prevented from standing in the polls.

Mr Tsvangirai stopped short of calling for the sort of strikes and mass action against the government that he used in 1998 as Zimbabwe's main labour leader.

But he said: "If anyone thinks we are not doing enough, just wait."

Gatherings banned

Public meetings of more than three people in Zimbabwe now require police clearance, which has often been denied.

The legal action to stop local elections follows a disputed presidential poll

Gatherings of various civic, labour and opposition groups have been banned and security forces could take action against those flouting the law.

Mr Tsvangirai said: "They can arrest us... defiance is a very important step to show that people will not be subjected to unjust laws."

He added: "Despair engulfs this country."

Zimbabwe has been plunged into an economic and humanitarian crisis.

Six million people - half of the country's population - face food shortages with white farmers being evicted and black farm workers being left without homes or jobs.

Election challenge

The MDC is claiming that 699 of its candidates out of more than 1,400 wards have either been barred from registering or severely intimidated from standing in this weekend's poll.

Mr Tsvangirai said the MDC had challenged the conditions of nominating candidates, which had seen a significant number of their candidates disqualified on technical grounds.

He also said they had challenged the elections because of acts of violence against some of their candidates following their nomination.

The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) denies MDC claims of pre-electoral violence, accusing the party of crying foul to garner international sympathy ahead of an election it fears losing.