Historic moment in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) - Zimbabwean lawmakers on Monday voted for Lovemore Moyo of the main Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party as speaker of the parliament - making him the first speaker from the opposition.

"This is historic as it ceases to be a rubber-stamping house," Moyo said after winning the position. "It will ensure that progressive laws are passed. I promise to be professional."

Moyo received 110 votes, and his only opponent Paul Themba-Nyathi received 98 votes.

Themba-Nyathi represented the splinter MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara, but he had support of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.