The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission at last announced yesterday that the ruling Zanu (PF) party had lost its parliamentary majority. The Movement for Democratic Change and other opposition parties have defeated dozens of politicians loyal to Robert Mugabe. That result is a triumph, and testament to the courage, patience and determination of millions of Zimbabweans in defying intimidation to vote against the pampered clique that has been party to their country's ruin. But the commission remained silent on the fate of the President himself. And although the ageing despot may desperately be seeking ways of clinging to power, it is clear to everyone except him that the long and obscene dictatorship of Mr Mugabe has come to an end.

What matters now is how he can be removed from power as swiftly and with as little bloodshed as possible. This cannot be done without help from outside. Zimbabwe today is a country broken in spirit, its people scattered, hungry and desperately trying to protect their families and their jobs. With every passing day, tensions rise and suspicion grows that Mr Mugabe and his dwindling number of diehard supports are plotting scenarios to thwart the overwhelming victory of Morgan Tsvangirai: a second run-off vote with massive new attempts at manipulation; a series of staged provocations and violent incidents giving a pretext for a state of emergency and the annulment of the results; or a straightforward military coup, with the arrest of Mr Tsvangirai and opposition politicians.

Behind the scenes, therefore, Zimbabwe's politicians and neighbours are urgently discussing face-saving ways to persuade Mr Mugabe to step aside: either to retirement in the luxury villa he has built for himself, his immunity from prosecution guaranteed, or to an honorary position in the new government, which would include a representative of his defeated Zanu (PF). Already African leaders have been urged to do what they can, with Western leaders counting on the Southern African Development Community and President Mbeki of South Africa in particular, despite their pusillanimous record, if only to avert violence and a new flood of refugees.

It is time for the world to take a tougher stance. David Miliband yesterday condemned the rigged vote, the violence, repression and spiral of decline, and said that Britain stood ready to support Zimbabwe in its “massive rebuilding task”. Already contingency planning has begun with the World Bank and the IMF on the priority of stabilising the economy and halting the currency's freefall with a balance of payment support and a tripling of total donor support from £350 million a year to more than £1 billion.

This ought to persuade even those too fearful to defy Mr Mugabe that only his departure will save their country. A tough message is needed. President Bush and all the Nato leaders assembled in Bucharest must issue an unambiguous ultimatum: if Mr Mugabe leaves office, the world will offer money, knowhow, investment and support; if he defies the voters, he faces political and economic ruin. Britain has, at times, been too afraid of its colonial shadow. But Zimbabwe needs its friends to act decisively and concert-

edly to enable this long overdue transition. The world must help Africans to end Zimbabwe's nightmare now.