By Cris Chinaka

HARARE, May 16 (Reuters) - Zimbabwean security chiefs have urged church leaders to help stop rising violence ahead of a delayed run-off election in which the opposition hopes to oust President Robert Mugabe.

Official results showed opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the disputed March 29 poll, but not by enough votes to avoid a run-off. The electoral commission is due to set a date for the second round on Friday.

The ruling ZANU-PF's policy-setting central committee will also hold its first meeting since the March elections, in which the party lost its parliamentary majority to the opposition for the first time since independence in 1980. The meeting is expected to map out Mugabe's campaign strategy.

The state-controlled Herald newspaper said the government was stepping up efforts to avoid an escalation of politically motivated violence ahead of the second round ballot.

"It is understood that (defence forces commander) General (Constantine) Chiwenga appealed to the church leaders to urge their congregations to work towards peace while political parties were also implored to desist from violence," the daily Herald said on Friday.

The MDC blames the government for violence in which it says 40 of its members have been killed, scores have been wounded and more than 1,000 homes burnt or destroyed in attacks by gangs wielding whips, axes and clubs.

ZANU-PF denies responsibility, accusing the MDC of unleashing the violence to discredit Mugabe.

Neighbouring states, including economic powerhouse South Africa, are concerned the instability and economic turmoil in Zimbabwe could take their toll on them too.

The Herald said police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri told church leaders on Thursday the police was dismantling political bases set up by both ZANU-PF and MDC around the country where acts of violence had been committed.

The security chiefs have previously said they would not allow Tsvangirai and his MDC to rule the country.

POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

The MDC accuses Mugabe of unleashing his militias in the countryside since the March elections, both to punish voters who supported the opposition and to intimidate them ahead of the next round of voting.

The opposition says youth brigades, the army and veterans of a 1970s independence war have been deployed to galvanise support for the 84-year-old Zimbabwean leader and former guerrilla hero.

The government denies the accusations, and has repeatedly denounced acts of violence and called for calm.

The MDC on Thursday called for an urgent meeting of countries in the region to avoid "rivers of dead people". It rejected a delay in the run-off election announced by the government, but stopped short of saying Tsvangirai would only participate if the timeline was upheld.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission said on Wednesday the presidential run-off could be delayed until the end of July -- four months after the original poll.

The MDC says the run-off should be held by May 23, in line with laws which say the vote must be held within 21 days of the election results, which were announced on May 2.

The MDC says authorities have banned a rally on Sunday at which Tsvangirai was due to kick off his campaign for the run-off. The United States condemned the ban. (Additional reporting by Nelson Banya; Writing by Caroline Drees; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)

AlertNet news is provided by