President Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) party was relegated yesterday to the role of official Opposition in the first dramatic sitting of the Zimbabwean Parliament since elections five months ago.

Morgan Tsvangirai’s faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) also won a surprise victory in the vote for the Speaker’s post, with the unexpected support of a splinter group of the MDC — who abandoned their own leader — and even a secretive sprinkling of Zanu (PF) MPs.

There was a roar of triumph from the MDC benches and the crowded public gallery, and Zanu (PF) MPs sat stunned as their opponents bellowed the anthem Zanu is Rotten. It was an historic moment: the party has had almost total control over Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

MPs arriving for the swearing-in had to run the gauntlet of a score of policemen at the front doors of Parliament, waiting with a “wanted” list of 17 MDC MPs, in a crude attempt to slash the Tsvangirai faction’s majority of one in the 210-seat assembly.

Police arrested two, but released one of them after an hour. Elia Jem-bere, the second MP, was prevented from voting. They also tried to seize Elton Mangoma MP, one of Mr Tsvangirai’s principal negotiators in the internationally brokered talks between the MDC and Zanu (PF) on power sharing. Mr Mangoma shook them off and ran into the chamber.

More than 100 police and intelligence agents had converged on Parliament for the sitting. They forgot, however, to post anyone at the back door, enabling the rest of the MPs on the wanted list to slip in unhindered. Most of them had just emerged, at considerable risk, from hiding, under threat of death since Mr Mugabe’s murderous campaign and rigged victory in the second round of presidential elections on June 27.

MDC MPs have also reported in recent weeks that they have been offered bribes by Zanu (PF) to cross the floor. Zanu (PF), with 99 seats, has been siding with the lesser MDC faction, led by Arthur Mutambara, which has ten seats, against the 100 of the main MDC faction. To avoid splitting the vote, Zanu did not nominate a candidate and backed Mr Mutambara.

The announcement of victory for Lovemore Moyo, the chairman of Mr Tsvangirai’s party, was greeted with a joyous uproar, while Zanu (PF) MPs stared open-mouthed in disbelief. Ed-die Cross, of the MDC, said: “It was marvellous. Zanu think they own the place but today they didn’t know what to do. They got their noses bloodied.”

Mr Moyo won 110 votes, thanks to a secret turnaround by most of the ten MPs of the Mutambara faction, and to a handful of Zanu (PF) MPs who supported the Tsvangirai grouping, MDC sources said. The Mutambara faction’s candidate got 98 votes, nearly all of them from Zanu (PF). The MDC’s candidate for deputy speaker, Nomalanga Khumalo, received an even greater majority. Mr Moyo said in his acceptance speech: “This house ceases to be a rubber-stamping House. It will ensure progressive laws are passed.”

Mr Mugabe faces the conundrum today of whether he should take the risk of going ahead with the opening of Parliament — a ceremony with colonially inherited mounted police lancers and a 21-gun salute — with the chamber where he is to deliver his address now ruled by rowdy, rebellious MDC politicians. One MP said: “We are going to ambush him. We are going to make it hot for him.” Others, though, have suggested the somewhat less embarrassing alternative of a boycott.

The two MDC factions now have the power to repeal or amend much of the repressive legislation enacted by Mr Mugabe in recent years. They can also veto any new legislation he wants, and he has lost the 75 per cent majority needed to change the Constitution.

Mr Mugabe is not as isolated as he would have been if Zimbabwe were a proper parliamentary democracy. Over the past 28 years he has built up the powers of his executive presidency with authority to rule by edict and his direct control of the Army, police and intelligence.

It is that which Mr Mugabe is determined to preserve in the two months of dialogue between Zanu (PF) and the two MDC factions, mediated by President Mbeki of South Africa, aimed at power sharing to bring about an “inclusive” government.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), the 14-nation regional block, is pressing on Mr Tsvangirai a draft agreement that offers him the role of prime minister with Mr Mugabe as executive president.

Mr Tsvangirai agreed initially but withdrew when he realised that Mr Mugabe would retain probably all of his essential authority, including the right to appoint Cabinet and chair its meetings and retain control of the security services.

A Western diplomat said: “What happened today is of vital strategic and psychological importance. Tsvangirai has emerged the leader of the popularly elected parliamentary majority. Mugabe has his authority from a violent sham election. SADC and Mbeki cannot ignore the changed situation. They will be under pressure more than ever before to dump Mugabe.”

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