Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe turned the tables on the country's opposition on Friday, accusing them of being behind political violence since the country's March 29 polls.

Mugabe, who was defeated in the first round of the presidential election for the first time since he came to power in 1980, admitted the result was "disastrous" and blamed the party for being "unprepared."

Despite numerous independent reports from human rights and civil society groups in Zimbabwe stating the contrary, Mugabe accused the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and white farmers of fomenting post-election violence.

"We have disturbing evidence of motorised gangs trained and equipped by the MDC and of returning white commercial farmers who have been visiting terror on villages and party supporters," he Mugabe.

"The MDC and its supporters are playing a very dangerous game. They should know they cannot win that kind of war which they have carried to rural constituencies in the hope of destabilising our supporters," he continued.

Zimbabwean doctors, unions and teachers have reported a campaign of terror conducted by pro-government militias in rural areas against supporters and activists of the MDC since the March elections.

These reports have been bolstered by the United Nations, whose representative said the majority of violence had been directed at MDC supporters, and rights group Amnesty International which said youths were being forcibly recruited to assault opposition sympathisers.

The role of intimidation and violence by "war veterans," pro-government militias assisted by the state, has been documented in previous elections.

Mugabe, who has previously claimed to have "a degree in violence", said however that support could not be secured through coercion.

"We need peace and freedom in our country. They (the opposition) should take heed," he added.

In his first comments on his defeat, Mugabe told a central committee of his ZANU-PF party: "Although the presidential result did not yield an outright winner, it was indeed disastrous."

In a first round of voting on March 29, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mugabe by 47.9 to 43.2 percent but fell short of the 50 percent plus one vote required to be declared winner.

"Nevertheless we are set for a second round, for the run-off which must now decide the winner," continued Mugabe.

"Fundamentally we went to the election completely unprepared, unorganised and this against an election-weary voter."

"Our structures went to sleep, were in deep slumber in circumstances of an all-out war. They were passive, they were lethargic, ponderous, divided, diverted, disinterested, demobilised or simply non-existent," he said.

The MDC says more than 30 of its supporters have been killed by pro-Mugabe militias and tens of thousands of civilians forced out of their homes.