Moyo on opposition benches as MPs sworn in

Moyo on opposition benches as MPs sworn in

MOYO

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By Stella Mapenzauswa

ZIMBABWE swore in new members of parliament Tuesday, including 30 unelected ruling party loyalists that guarantee President Robert Mugabe a crushing majority following disputed elections last month.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which accuses Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF of rigging the March 31 vote, lodged the first of what it said would be a series of court challenges to the vote results.

But MDC MPs still took the oath in the new parliament, dispelling speculation that the party might boycott the legislature to show its displeasure.

There was a moment of high drama when President Robert Mugabe's former spin doctor Jonathan Moyo took his seat for the first time on the opposition benches sandwiched between the leader of the opposition Gibson Sibanda and the MDC secretary general Welshman Ncube.

Moyo stood as an independent in Tsholotsho constituency in Matabeleland North. He consequently lost his Cabinet post, and was also stripped of his Zanu PF membership.

Zanu PF won 78 of the 120 elected seats in the March vote, and is guaranteed a further 30 under constitutional provisions which allow Mugabe to directly appoint 20 legislators and draw another 10 from Zimbabwe's traditional leaders - known as Zanu PF loyalists.

The total puts ZANU-PF well above the two-thirds majority it needs to change the constitution at will.

Among those appointed to seats were Vice President Joseph Msika, who did not stand in the election, and outgoing Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa who received another presidential appointment after posting his second consecutive loss to an opposition candidate in his district.

The ruling party successfully nominated its national chairman John Nkomo as new speaker of parliament.

“May I ... appeal for the fullest co-operation of all members of parliament ... Though we belong to different political parties, there is need for us to be guided by national interests,” Nkomo said in his acceptance speech.

The MDC has cited “serious and unaccountable gaps” in vote tallies to back its accusations, supported by Western powers, that Mugabe's party rigged the election. ZANU-PF denies cheating and African observers said the poll was free and fair -- Reuters
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