Zimbabwe court nullifies post of parliament speaker

HARARE, March 10 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's Supreme Court on Thursday nullified the election of the speaker of parliament, who came from opposition ranks, about two years after President Robert Mugabe's party lost the post for the first time.

The country's highest constitutional court ruled that the election of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's ally, Lovemore Moyo, did not follow proper procedures after a challenge by a senior member of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, lawyers said.

The ruling is likely to escalate tensions in the fragile unity government at a time Mugabe's ZANU-PF is pushing for elections this year. This also means Tsvangirai's MDC will have to fight for the position again. (Reporting by Cris Chinaka; Editing by Jon Herskovitz) (cris.chinaka@reuters.com; +263-4 799 112)) (For more Reuters Africa cover visit: af.reuters.com/ -- To comment on this story email:SouthAfrica.Newsroom@reuters.com)