Zimbabwean Parliament passes unity government law

Zimbabwe's Parliament passed a Constitutional Bill yesterday to allow a coalition government of President Robert Mugabe and opposition rivals being set up under a deal to end political and economic crisis.

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed last week to join a unity government with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF after months of wrangling over ministerial posts had stalled a power-sharing deal signed last year. The vote on Wednesday was the first concrete step by the two parties to meet a deadline set by leaders from the Southern Africa Development Community for a unity government to be in place by February 13.

Parliamentary Speaker Lovemore Moyo said 184 lawmakers in the 210-seat Parliament had voted for the Bill, easily surpassing the two-thirds needed. Mr Tsvangirai's party has 100 seats to 99 for Zanu-PF.

The vote was greeted with jubilation and stomping of feet by legislators from both parties, in a rare show of unity.

When he introduced the Bill, Mr Mugabe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa described the establishment of a unity government as "a leap of faith".

"With the enactment of the Bill, the train of the inclusive government will be leaving the station, and we should let bygones be bygones," he said.

MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti said the new unity government should give hope to Zimbabwe.

"We have no choice other than to give this experiment a try," he said.

After its endorsement by the lower House of Assembly, the Bill was immediately taken to the Senate where it was passed unanimously. It should then be signed into law by President Mugabe.

Mr Tsvangirai will become Prime Minister in the envisaged unity government. Mr Mugabe will remain President. He was re-elected last June in a run-off vote which the opposition boycotted, citing attacks on its supporters.

Once a prosperous country, Zimbabwe's economy is in ruins, with half the population in need of food aid.