ZIMBABWE:ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe opened parliament yesterday despite opposition claims that the act was meaningless and jeopardised the outcome of powersharing talks between the country's rival political parties.
The 84-year-old arrived at parliament in Harare in a vintage Rolls Royce amid enthusiastic applause from his supporters on the street. However, inside the parliament building he was loudly heckled by members of the Movement for Democratic Change during his opening speech.
"You killed people, we won't forget that," they shouted at Mr Mugabe as he delivered his address live on national television.
Zanu-PF, the ruling regime, stands accused of killing more than 120 opposition supporters between the disputed March 29th general election and the presidential run-off on June 27th, as a means to retain power.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was declared the presidential winner in March, but not by an absolute majority. He pulled out of the run-off against Mr Mugabe because of the violence. Powersharing talks mediated by South African president Thabo Mbeki have been ongoing since July 21st.
The MDC won a slim parliamentary majority of 100 seats to 99 over Zanu-PF in the election. A breakaway MDC faction, under Arthur Mutambara, holds the balance of power with 10 seats. It is the first time since independence in 1980 that an opposition party has held the majority in parliament.
The main opposition party said three of its deputies were arrested at the parliament yesterday on what it called trumped-up political violence charges. "[The] MDC views this continued harassment and arrest of MDC legislators by the state security agents as a direct affront to the will of the people of Zimbabwe," the party said. A total of four MDC MPs had been arrested over two days, it said.
Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the arrests of the MDC legislators on charges of attempted murder, political violence and rape. "There is no harassment - most of these MPs have been in hiding only to resurface at the opening of parliament," he said.
The MDC indicated last weekend it would boycott yesterday's opening of parliament, saying any attempt by Mr Mugabe to reconvene the house needed an agreement from all three groups under the rules of powersharing.
However, it appears the appointment of MDC chairman Lovemore Moyo to the position of speaker of the house on Monday negated the decision to stay away.