MPs released as Zimbabwe parliament convenes

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- The parliament that Zimbabwean voters elected five months ago finally convened Monday, but not before police briefly detained two opposition members.

Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC faction has a slim majority following parliamentary elections.

The election for parliament speaker is expected after President Robert Mugabe swears in members.

Two members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were arrested as they arrived at the opening session, but they were released after a short time, according to a government spokesman.

An MDC official said the arrests were part of the "sinister agenda of this regime" to "tilt the balance of numbers in their favour during the voting for the speaker of parliament."

One of those detained -- Shuwa Mudiwa -- appeared back in parliament, but the other member -- Elia Jembere -- was not seen, according to sources.

Government spokesman Bright Matonga said Jembere had been accused of rape, but that he has been released from custody.

A third member -- Elton Mangoma -- escaped an arrest attempt when other party members came to his rescue, MDC officials said.

Attendance at the session of parliament is important since the membership is closely divided between the MDC and the Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

The ruling ZANU-PF party lost its majority in the 210-seat parliament in elections in March, but vote recounts and political violence have delayed the body from convening until now.

Final results gave 100 seats to an MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai, the party's presidential candidate. President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF got 99 seats. An offshoot of the main MDC party, led by Arthur Mutambara, won 10 seats. An independent candidate won one seat.

After the swearing-in ceremony, parliament is to vote on a speaker, the fourth most powerful post in the country. ZANU-PF will seek to re-elect incumbent John Nkomo. The two rival MDC factions have not agreed on a common candidate.

Tsvangirai's MDC has put forward its national chairman, Lovemore Moyo, for speaker, while Mutambara's smaller MDC faction is pushing senior party member Paul Themba Nyathi for the post, senior MDC sources said.

Tsvangirai, who was locked in a bitter presidential contest with Mugabe, had objected to Mugabe's decision to convene Zimbabwe's parliament, saying it could "decapitate" power-sharing talks that have been on hold for the past two weeks.

Still, Tsvangirai said he would attend the swearing-in ceremony.

MDC party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said all MDC members elected to parliament were expected to attend "except those few MPs who are still in hiding."