HARARE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's legislators were on Wednesday sworn in for five-year terms following their election in the July 30 polls.
The members of the ninth parliament took oath of office before Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda.
The swearing-in of the 350 law makers is expected to pave the way for appointment of a new cabinet by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who was inaugurated on Aug. 26.
Zimbabwean law stipulates that cabinet ministers should be appointed from among legislators, but it also allows for up to five to be picked from outside parliament for their professional skills and competence.
Zimbabwe's parliament is made up of 270 Members of the National Assembly and 80 Senators.
The ruling ZANU-PF party won a two-thirds majority after garnering 145 seats of the 210 contested seats in the National Assembly against opposition MDC Alliance's 63.
Two other seats were won by an independent candidate and a member of the opposition National Patriotic Front.
In addition, ZANU-PF got 35 women quota seats, the MDC Alliance 24 while the splinter MDC-T party got one seat.
In the Senate, ZANU-PF has 36 seats, MDC alliance 23, MDC-T one while traditional chiefs and people living with disabilities have 18 and two seats respectively.
President Mnangagwa has set Sept. 11 as the date for the first sitting of parliament specifically for both houses to elect their respective presiding officers.
According to legal think-tank Veritas, both houses will then adjourn for about two weeks to allow time for induction of the large-number of first-time members who constitute approximately 60 percent of the total membership. Enditem
