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| MPs pass Zimbabwe unity deal bill | MPs pass Zimbabwe unity deal bill |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe's lower house of parliament has passed a constitutional amendment paving the way for the country's political rivals to share power. | Zimbabwe's lower house of parliament has passed a constitutional amendment paving the way for the country's political rivals to share power. |
| The change will allow opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minister, with Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe remaining as president. | The change will allow opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minister, with Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe remaining as president. |
| The amendment is now before the Senate and correspondents say it is then expected to be signed by Mr Mugabe. | The amendment is now before the Senate and correspondents say it is then expected to be signed by Mr Mugabe. |
| The deal was agreed in September but has been mired by months of disputes. | The deal was agreed in September but has been mired by months of disputes. |
| Under the agreement, negotiated by southern African leaders, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Mr Tsvangirai is to be sworn in as prime minister on 11 February. | |
| Reuters news agency reports that the vote was greeted with jubilation and stomping of feet by MPs from both parties - in a rare show of unity. | |
| The unity government is intended to ease Zimbabwe's economic meltdown but correspondents say this is largely dependent on the restoration of foreign aid and investment. | |
| Zimbabwe is enduring rampant inflation and an escalating food crisis. | |
| An outbreak of cholera, fuelled by the collapse of infrastructure, has now infected nearly 66,000 people and killed more than 3,300. |