Police arrest opposition lawmakers

The police in Zimbabwe yesterday arrested more opposition lawmakers as President Robert Mugabe announced he would include opposition members in his new Cabinet.



Police said that since Monday they have arrested five members of parliament from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).



The police said the arrests were not politically motivated and were in connection with violence that rocked Zimbabwe in the run-up to the June 27 presidential run-off.



A spokeswoman for the police said the parliamentarians have been on the police wanted list which was made public.



The police said they had been looking for them since the offenses were committed.



The police said some had fled the country to Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and other counteries.



The MDC said police made the arrests to reduce the numbers of opposition lawmakers in parliament.