Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF lost its ruling party's status in the lower house election, receiving 97 seats, against the 99 seats by the rival MDC Tsvangirai faction, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced just after midnight Wednesday.

This is the first time that the ZANU-PF, which has been ruling party in this southern African country since the country's independence in 1980, loses majority in the lower house.

The smaller Mutambara faction of MDC (Movement of Democratic Change) has won 10 seats.

Independent candidate Jonathan Moyo retained his seat in the house.

Parliamentary by-elections will be held in three constituencies following the death of MDC candidates in the run-up to the polls.

In the House of Assembly elected in March 2005, ZANU-PF had 108 seats and MDC had 41 seats while the independent had only one seat.

The number of the members of the House of Assembly was increased to 210 after a bill was passed last year.

MDC was split into two factions in 2006, respectively led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

Zimbabwe held on March 29 elections for parliamentarians, local councilors and president.