President Robert Mugabe's ruling party lost its third mayoral election to Zimbabwe's main opposition movement today, just months before presidential elections due by April.
Mr Francis Dhlakama of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) beat Mr Stanley Majiri of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party in the polls at Chegutu, 100 km (65 miles), south of the capital Harare, according to election officials.
Mr Dhlakama polled 2,900 votes against Mr Majiri's 2,452 in a weekend election close to Mugabe's rural home.
ZANU-PF said tonight they planned to contest the result, which they said was marred by violent clashes between ZANU-PF and MDC supporters.
ZANU-PF, which previously held the Chegutu mayoral seat, has lost two other seats over the past seven months, including Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo in September and the southern town of Masvingo in May.
The loss of Chegutu is likely to unsettle Mr Mugabe, who faces the biggest electoral challenge of his career in next year's presidential poll.
Mr Mugabe (77) has ruled the southern African state since he won power in 1980 when the former Rhodesia gained independence from Britain.