News / National
Lovemore Moyo prevails in Zimbabwe Parliament speakership position
29 Mar 2011 at 16:46hrs | Views
Lovemore Moyo was re-elected Speaker of Zimbabwe Parliament on Tuesday in a bitter political battle against President Robert Mugabe's party ahead of a possible general election.
The post became vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Lovemore Moyo from Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party two weeks ago because the original vote in 2008, after disputed parliamentary elections, did not follow proper procedures.
Moyo was re-elected as speaker with 105 votes, defeating the ZANU-PF candidate Simon Khaya Moyo who drew 93 votes.
"This victory gives us an opportunity to continue to democratise and modernise our parliamentary portfolio committees," Moyo said after the vote.
The position of Speaker of Parliament is crucial in Zimbabwe's finely balanced lower House of Assembly which makes national laws, and is of symbolic value ahead of elections Mugabe is pushing to be held this year.
The Supreme Court ruling has heightened tensions in the fragile unity government formed two years ago and comes at a time Mugabe's ZANU-PF is pushing for presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
The post became vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Lovemore Moyo from Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party two weeks ago because the original vote in 2008, after disputed parliamentary elections, did not follow proper procedures.
Moyo was re-elected as speaker with 105 votes, defeating the ZANU-PF candidate Simon Khaya Moyo who drew 93 votes.
"This victory gives us an opportunity to continue to democratise and modernise our parliamentary portfolio committees," Moyo said after the vote.
The position of Speaker of Parliament is crucial in Zimbabwe's finely balanced lower House of Assembly which makes national laws, and is of symbolic value ahead of elections Mugabe is pushing to be held this year.
The Supreme Court ruling has heightened tensions in the fragile unity government formed two years ago and comes at a time Mugabe's ZANU-PF is pushing for presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
Source - Byo24News
