The opposition Movement for Democratic Change for the first time won the Parliamentary elections making Zanu PF the opposition party. The MDC party won a combined 109 seats against 97 for Mugabe's party.

SADC leaders at the just ended heads of state summit in South Africa urged Zimbabwe's political parties to convene parliament and ensure that legislators execute their duties while negotiations continued "to give effect to the will of the people" expressed in March.

But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said the idea of convening the parliament breaches the Memorandum of Understanding signed in the country in July.

The MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said in a statement that if parliament was convened, it would be against a framework agreement governing the power-sharing talks which began nearly a month ago and which could end Zimbabwe's deep political crisis.

"Any decision to convene parliament will be a clear repudiation of the Memorandum of Understanding, and an indication beyond reasonable doubt of Zanu PF's unwillingness to continue to be part of the talks. In short convening parliament decapitates the dialogue," Biti's statement said.

Contrary, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who has embarked on a regional tour to mobilize support said earlier that Parliament should be convened despite the ongoing power sharing talks but warned that Mugabe should not appoint the cabinet before the conclusion of the talks.

Let Parliament be reconvened. As far as we are concerned we don't see anything wrong with that. It will have no effect. Parliament is an expression of the will of the people, but Cabinet is another thing, said Tsvangirai in South Africa.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed under he supervision of SADC mediator and South African President stipulates that no party, during the
subsistence of the dialogue shall take any decision or measure that
has a bearing on the dialogue, save by consensus.

Biti said such a decision or measure includes, but not restricted to, the convening of Parliament or formation of a new government and in the present case, the MDC has not consented to the convening of Parliament.

He said the MDC remain firmly committed to this dialogue for one
reason and one reason alone- the suffering of Zimbabweans has to come
to an end