HARARE, ZIMBABWE — Authorities searched offices of the main opposition party and detained foreign journalists Thursday, fueling fears that ruling party hard-liners were trying to block a deal to end President Robert Mugabe's 28 years in power.
Five days after weekend balloting, the country's election commission still had not released results of the presidential voting. But officials have announced that Mugabe's ZANU-PF party lost its parliamentary majority for the first time.
Opposition sources close to negotiations with the ruling party said there appeared to be divisions between those who wanted to fight to maintain power and those who were willing to negotiate a deal that would allow them to protect the property and other benefits they have accumulated in nearly three decades in power.
Mugabe, 84, has presided over the collapse of what once was one of sub-Saharan Africa's most prosperous countries. Inflation is running in excess of 100,000%, unemployment is 80% and a third of the population survives on food aid. Mugabe was to hold a crucial meeting of his party's politburo today.
Mugabe was pictured on television Thursday for the first time since Saturday's elections. He did not speak to the camera.
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Signs on the street
After years of fear, there were some signs of change on the streets. On the outskirts of Harare, people gathered at a local market and waved and cheered, shouting, "A new Zimbabwe!"
But the old order was dying hard.
Tendai Biti, secretary-general of the Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition party, said the raid of its offices at a Harare hotel targeted him and other party leaders. No one was detained.
"Mugabe has started a crackdown. It is quite clear he has unleashed a war," Biti said.
At another hotel, police detained two journalists. A witness said a small group of police arrived and told everyone there to remain where they were while they began searching the hotel. Then dozens more officers arrived and surrounded it.
The New York Times confirmed that its correspondent in the region, Barry Bearak, was one of those taken into custody. It said he had been taken to a Harare jail.
Authorities warned reporters a week ago that they would deal swiftly with those who were caught bypassing Zimbabwe's strict accreditation laws. It was unclear whether Bearak held accreditation.
