The controversial Constitution Amendment bill no.2 was passed on Tuesday and its safe to say the vast majority might not be pleased with this. The bill has returned to senate and now awaits the final seal of approval from the President. Will he approve it? Well if you were the president and were presented with this particular bill you would probably approve it without blinking. Here’s why we say that:
The president will be able to do the following as a result of the passing of this bill:
- Personally appoint judges thereby overriding the public voting system that lead to the appointment of judges.
- Extend the terms of judges even if they’ve reached retirement age
- Appoint his own deputies instead of utilising elected vice presidents
- Elevate sitting judges to higher courts without passing them through public interviews
MDC conglomerates including Thokozani Khupe, Nomvula Mguni, Phelela Masuku, Livingstone Chimina, Patrick Dube, Joel Gabuza, Innocent Gonese, Shapespear Hamauswa, Norman Allan Markham, Phelela Masuku, Daniel Molokela, Edwin Mushoriwa, Stella Ndlovu, Jacob Nyokanhete, Tose Wesley Sansole, Trevor Saruwaka, Job Sikhala, Godfrey Sithole, Jane Nicola Watson, Jasmine Toffa, Illos Nyoni, and David Tekeshe have rejected this amendment. The general sentiment is that these changes are all centered around consolidating President Mnangagwa’s powers.
An appalled Tendai Biti shared the following sentiments with regards to this bill:
“We will fight this abomination. Emmerson’s disrespect of the constitution and total violation of decency and the rule of law sets him apart as the greatest existential threat to the Zimbabwe State. In three years, Zimbabwe has descended into a little outpost of fascism and state failure, thanks to politics of greed, violence, and idiocy.”
MDC-T Senator and Thokozani Khupe ally, Khaliphani Phugeni, posed a question with regards to the appointment of judges:
“What’s wrong about a judge who is going to preside over our matters to be publicly interviewed for all to be convinced that indeed this person is fit to hold the position that they seek?
What are your thoughts?
Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
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