Zimbabwe MPs challenge expulsion at constitutional court

HARARE (Reuters) - Twenty one Zimbabwe rebel opposition members have asked the constitutional court to reverse their expulsion from parliament by the speaker last week for having abandoned their party. The expulsion of the members could further weaken the opposition's voice in parliament, where President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF enjoys a commanding majority. In their court application filed on Wednesday, the legislators said they were unfairly dismissed and still belonged to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party. The MDC had earlier this month requested the Speaker to expel them for leaving the party. The expelled members said there was a leadership dispute between their breakaway MDC Renewal group and the MDC party, and want the court to compel parliament to reverse its action until a court rules on the party dispute. Under Zimbabwe's constitution, if a member of parliament joins or forms another political party, their seat is declared vacant and a fresh election is called within 90 days. The lower house of parliament expelled 17 MDC members, including former MDC secretary and finance minister Tendai Biti while the upper Senate chamber dismissed four members who left the opposition party after internal fighting.