Opposition pushes for power

The MDC are the first credible challengers to Mugabe's party

The new force in Zimbabwean politics is the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which is well organised and talks confidently of winning elections expected in May.

This is an astonishing prospect, as President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party have romped home in every presidential and parliamentary election since Zimbabwe became independent.

They have bled our lovely country dry. We pledge to deal ruthlessly with the corrupt. From being the envy of the region, we have become a laughing stock

Opposition MDC official Gibson Sibanda

At present Mr Mugabe's party holds an overwhelming 147 of the 150 seats in parliament.

And the history of the opposition in Zimbabwe is one of defeat and division, unable to compete against a strong ruling party, led by an increasingly authoritarian leader.

Yet as Zimbabwe's economy has accelerated its decline in recent years, so the fortunes of the opposition have risen, culminating in the shock referendum defeat for the ruling coalition in February.

Morgan Tsvangirai: A popular union leader

The historic No vote, campaigned for by the opposition, not only dealt a blow to President Mugabe's hopes of extending his powers, but also gave fresh impetus to the MDC, which was only formed last year.

It emerged out of the trade union movement, as many former Zanu-PF supporters fed up with rampant inflation, corruption and collapsing health and education services finally said enough is enough.

Bleeding Zimbabwe dry

The MDC accuses the ruling party of bleeding Zimbabwe dry and says the only way to change things is to remove the government.

And significantly its leaders, including popular party president Morgan Tsvangirai, appear to have the organisational structure and power base inherited from the union movement, to mount a serious challenge to the ruling party.

Police failed to prevent recent attacks on opposition supporters

The MDC held their first party congress in January attended by 4,000 delegates and appeared determined and united in seeking to remove a government they see as corrupt and incompetent.

"This country is facing a crisis ... our primary goal is to remove the crisis itself, Robert Mugabe and his government," Mr Tsvangirai told his cheering supporters at the conference.

The MDC's election manifesto promises higher spending on health, education and housing.

And it promises to save money by fighting corruption and slashing the number of government ministries.

Yet Mr Tsvangirai has warned that the ruling party could react brutally to the new party's growing support.

Union leaders should stick to driving trains

President Mugabe

He survived an assault last year by Zanu-PF supporters that his Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) described as an assassination attempt.

And the recent violent break-up of opposition protests in Harare suggest the campaign could be a rough ride for the opposition, unable to rely on an impartial media or police force.

Origins in the strike

In December 1997, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, led by Mr Tsvangirai, organised a national strike against tax rises.

A march in Harare was broken up by riot police with tear gas and truncheons but in the end, the government gave in to the strikers' demands.

President Mugabe: Accuses opposition of being unpatriotic

The ZCTU called a series of general strikes since then, arguing that government policies were causing a sharp fall in workers' living standards.

The logical conclusion to that argument was to try to replace Zanu-PF as the party of government, and so the MDC was launched last September.

Just as with Zanu-PF, MDC leaders represent a delicate balance between Zimbabwe's major ethnic groups - Shona and Ndebele - but in addition, the white community is also well represented.

The MDC does not dwell on ideology, but promises more competent, less corrupt economic management.

With living standards falling sharply and a fuel shortage causing massive disruption, increasing numbers of Zimbabweans appear to be ready for change.

Jobs are increasingly hard for young people to find

If the forthcoming elections are free and fair then a defeat for the ruling party is a distinct possibility.

And the international goodwill attached to an opposition victory could well give an immediate boost to any new government seeking to lift Zimbabwe out of its economic mess.

Yet President Mugabe still has two years before the next presidential elections, and he and his party show no signs of giving way without a fight.