Lawmakers detained as Zimbabwe parliament sworn in: opposition

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — The opposition Movement for Democratic Change won a vote for the speaker of the Zimbabwe parliament on Monday, hours after two of its lawmakers were detained by police.

The two members of parliament were detained in the parliament building just before the secret ballot for speaker, which was won by Lovemore Moyo of main MDC leader's Morgan Tsvangirai's camp who got 110 votes of 208 cast.

The MDC had said the pair's detention was a manoeuvre to influence the vote in what was the first meeting of parliament since March elections.

But in the end President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party did not put up a candidate, despite holding 99 seats in the 210-member house.

"With the election of the national chairman of the MDC-Tsvangirai as...