The ACDP wishes to congratulate Mr Lovemore Moyo, Chairman of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on his election as the Speaker of the Zimbabwean Parliament. We also commend MPs from Zanu PF and the lesser MDC faction led by Mr Arthur Mutambara who voted for Mr Moyo and not for a candidate endorsed by Mr Robert Mugabe.
What makes the victory of Mr Moyo even more sweet is that the Mugabe police tried to manipulate the voting results by illegally arresting three of the MDC MPs before they could exercise their right to vote for a speaker of parliament.
The ACDP is pleased that the vote for the Zimbabwean Speaker has embarrassed some unprincipled SADC leaders who gave Mr Mugabe the go ahead to convene parliament which was contrary to the spirit and letter of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the negotiating parties that pledged that the convening of parliament would only be done through consensus.
We trust that those SADC leaders who are more interested in protecting their comrade Mugabe than helping the suffering and starving masses in Zimbabwe will note that even ZanuPF MPs who voted for Mr Moyo are saying that they want to see change in their country.
Rev Kenneth Meshoe, M.P. and President of the ACDP, African Christian Democratic Party.