Zimbabwe Politics: Members of Parliament sworn in as election dust settles

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02:42

Zimbabwe's newly elected MPs have been sworn in. And many have promised to put economics ahead of politics. They took the oath of office in Harare on Wednesday, as our correspondent Farai Mwakutuya reports.

Members of Zimbabwe's 9th parliament begin their term carrying a huge weight of expectation from an electorate that voted them in to make their lives better.

FORTUNE CHASIZANU-PF MP, ZIMBABWE "The public is expecting delivery, so there's no time to be politicking without productivity. The fact that the public has now infused parliament with a lot more new faces is an indictment on the previous parliament which means people are expecting new things. The public wants tangible results."

Among the key deliverables is aligning outstanding laws to a new constitution passed in 2013.

ENERGY MUTODIFIRST-TIME MP, ZIMBABWE "We will debate issues to do with electoral laws, issues to do with development of the country, issues to do with corruption and how it can be reduced and issues to do with the betterment of the lives of Zimbabweans."

Two-thirds of the MPs belong to the governing ZANU-PF giving it a decisive numerical advantage, which it's expected to maximize.

It's already mooted amending the constitution to raise the minimum age-limit for presidential candidates, a move that would block 40-year old opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, from contesting the next election.

However, MDC legislators have promised to stand their ground.

TENDAI BITIMDC ALLIANCE MP, ZIMBABWE "It's going to be a battleground, as MDC asserts its competence as MDC asserts its voice. So from that point of view, it's going to be a very vibrant parliament. We are going to hold the executive accountable."

Despite political differences, they'll play a constructive role.

INNOCENT GONESEMDC ALLIANCE MP, ZIMBABWE "We believe that we as the opposition have the ideas to fix this country and this economy and it will depend on whether the ruling elite will be able to take on board but I don't have much optimism basing on what we have seen from them in the past."

FARAI MWAKUTUYAHARARE, ZIMBABWE "The swearing-in paves the way for President Emerson Mnangagwa to name his cabinet, an announcement expected Friday. Ministers must be MPs although the President is allowed to pick up to five unelected appointees. FM, CGTN, H, Z."