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Zimbabwe parliament set to meet MPs seized in Zimbabwe parliament
(about 8 hours later)
The parliament of Zimbabwe is due to be sworn in for the first time following the disputed presidential election earlier this year. Two Zimbabwean MPs have been arrested, as they were due to be sworn in five months after disputed elections, an opposition spokesman says.
The opening of parliament comes amid a deadlock in power-sharing talks between President Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). They were detained as they entered parliament, said Nelson Chamisa.
One of the first priorities will be the selection of the parliamentary speaker, in what is expected to be a close vote. He said the police wanted to arrest 15 MPs, to ensure the ruling party wins the vote for the speaker of parliament.
The MDC, the main opposition party, has just a one seat majority in the house. Zanu-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence in the the March polls. Power-sharing talks are currently deadlocked.
The vote could be deadlocked if the sole independent MP, Jonathan Moyo, votes with Zanu-PF. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has warned that the official opening of parliament on Tuesday could jeopardise the talks.
A breakaway faction of the MDC, has 10 seats in the house and could also play a role in determining the parliamentary speaker. They have chosen the path of arrogance, unilateralism that's a serious blow to confidence-building in the talks Nelson Chamisa, MDC
PARLIAMENTARY SEATS House of Assembly* MDC Tsvangirai: 100* Zanu-PF: 99* MDC Mutambara: 10* Independent: 1Senate* Zanu-PF: 30* MDC Tsvangirai: 24* MDC Mutambara: 6 The swearing-in of parliamentarians will seek to convey a sense of business as usual in Zimbabwe, says the BBC's Karen Allen.
In the Senate, Zanu-PF has a six-seat majority so it is anticipated that the Zanu-PF candidate will fill the post of president of the Senate. The balance of power in the new parliament is held by a breakaway faction from Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The opening of parliament in Harare comes with the blessing of the regional body, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), writes the BBC's Karen Allen. Speaker deal?
SADC has been widely criticised for failing to take a tough stance on Robert Mugabe. The election of a speaker, which follows the swearing-in, is expected to be a close vote.
Its own observers condemned the vote back in June when the man who has ruled Zimbabwe for 28 years stood unopposed. After the parliamentary elections in March, both MDC factions said they would work together, however, they have each nominated candidates for the position of speaker of parliament.
And it has made little headway in trying to broker a power-sharing deal for the country which is on the verge of economic collapse. There are reports that President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF could support the candidate of the Arthur Mutambara MDC faction for speaker, in return for its support in parliament.
The swearing-in of parliamentarians will seek to convey a sense of business as usual in Zimbabwe, says our correspondent. In the House of Assembly, the MDC has one seat more than President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF, while the Mutambara MDC faction has 10 seats.
Talks to resolve the political crisis failed earlier this month, with the balance of power between the president and the prime minister a key stumbling block. PARLIAMENTARY SEATS House of Assembly* MDC Tsvangirai: 100* Zanu-PF: 99* MDC Mutambara: 10* Independent: 1Senate* Zanu-PF: 30* MDC Tsvangirai: 24* MDC Mutambara: 6* Traditional chiefs: 18* Provincial governors: 10* Presidential appointees: 5
Tsvangirai won the first round of elections The MDC had warned that 15 of its MPs would not attend the swearing-in ceremony, as they were in hiding following a state-sponsored campaign of violence.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the first presidential round in March, before pulling out of a June run-off citing a campaign of violence against his supporters. The police had accused them of murder, rape and political violence but have not commented on the arrests.
Zanu-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1980 - taking 99 seats to the MDC's 100 in the House of Assembly. Mr Chamisa told the AFP news agency that MP-elects Shuah Mudiwa and Eliah Jembere had been detained.
But both parties will rely on the backing of an MDC breakaway faction led by Arthur Mutambara, which has 10 seats, to preserve a majority in the lower house. "We have been informed they want to arrest 15 MPs. It's all about the vote for the speaker. Nothing to do with the law."
Ahead of Monday's swearing-in, Mr Mugabe appointed three non-constituency members of parliament's upper house, the Senate, and eight provincial governors, state media said.
"Clearly they have chosen the path of arrogance, unilateralism that's a serious blow to confidence-building in the talks," Mr Chamisa told Reuters news agency.
Zanu-PF has the most seats in the Senate and Mr Mugabe has the power to appoint a further 15 members, along with 18 traditional chiefs, seen as pro-Zanu-PF.
The South Africans-mediated talks are stalled over how powers should be divided between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, who could be named to fill the new post of prime minister.
The opening of parliament in Harare comes with the blessing of the regional body, the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Mr Tsvangirai won the first presidential round in March, before pulling out of a June run-off citing a campaign of violence against his supporters.