ZIMBABWE'S MAIN opposition party dealt a blow to President Robert Mugabe yesterday when its candidate was elected to the parliament's most influential position.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) national chairman Lovemore Moyo got 110 votes in the 210-member assembly in the poll to become parliament speaker, giving the opposition one of the most powerful positions in Zimbabwean politics for the first time since independence in 1980.
The ruling Zanu-PF did not field a candidate in the race and instead threw its weight behind breakaway MDC candidate Paul Themba Nyathi, who gained 98 votes.
Analysts believe the move will help strengthen the MDC's position in negotiations over a possible new government.
Talks between Mr Mugabe and the leader of MDC's main faction, Morgan Tsvangirai, are deadlocked as Mr Mugabe seeks to extend his 28 years in power.
Yesterday's vote shows that Mr Tsvangirai's MDC is in charge of parliament, with Mr Mugabe losing control of the lower house and the ability to implement laws to support his presidency.
Almost five months after Zimbabwe's new MPs were elected, the parliamentarians reconvened in Harare amid rumours that the leader of the country's breakaway MDC party, Arthur Mutambara, was being courted by Zanu-PF ahead of the poll.
The two opposition groups had presented a united front in the recent disputed March general elections against Zanu-PF and for most of the subsequent powersharing talks. But, at a regional summit 10 days ago, the talks stalled when Mr Mutambara and Mr Mugabe appeared to agree to a deal that Mr Tsvangirai found unacceptable.
The breakdown in the talks sparked rumours that the opposition alliance was in trouble, and so too its parliamentary majority.
But yesterday saw a rallying of parliamentarians behind Mr Tsvangirai.
Although Mr Mutambara's faction is the smaller of the two opposition parties with 10 seats in parliament, it holds the balance of power. Mr Tsvangirai's MDC won 100 seats in the March parliamentary election and Zanu-PF won 99.
If Mr Mugabe and Mr Mutambara had reached an agreement to work together, Mr Tsvangirai's majority would have been overtaken. But the convincing victory for Mr Moyo showed that MDC-Mutambara MPs and perhaps even a few Zanu-PF members were willing to support Mr Tsvangirai's party.
Upon returning to Harare last Monday, Mr Mugabe said he was reconvening parliament. Mr Tsvangirai criticised the move given the deadlock in the powersharing talks, saying it was a breach of the ground rules. However, he said the MDC would attend parliament's opening session to protect its majority position and would vie for the lower house's most senior appointment.
After being sworn in, the opposition MPs sat on the government benches, according to AFP news agency. "You sit on that side. You are now in the opposition," they shouted at their Zanu-PF rivals.
In what was being seen as a separate attempt by Mr Mugabe's regime to manipulate the vote yesterday, two MDC MPs were arrested by police as they entered parliament in the morning.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told reporters the arrests were politically motivated and an attempt by Zanu-PF to regain control of parliament.