Mugabe Heckled At Parliament's Opening

HARARE, Zimbabwe — President Mugabe suffered a public humiliation yesterday when opposition MPs booed, heckled, and sang through his speech at the televised state opening of Zimbabwe's parliament.

MPs from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change snubbed the president by staying in their seats when he walked into the chamber. They soon broke into song, denouncing his Zanu-PF party as "rotten." This was probably the first time that Mr. Mugabe, who is shielded from public criticism, has ever faced an openly hostile audience.

When he rose to deliver Zimbabwe's version of the Queen's Speech, his voice was often drowned by heckling. "I wish to pay tribute to all Zimbabweans for having exercised their democratic right in our recent election in a peaceful manner, notwithstanding the regrettable and isolated cases of political violence," Mr. Mugabe said, to a crescendo of jeers which then made him inaudible.