Civil society organisation have trashed government’s decision to amend the constitution to allow President Robert Mugabe to appoint the new Chief Justice, calling for the state to amend its ways and not the constitution.
By Faith Zhou
Addressing the media in Harare on Tuesday, Pedzisai Ruhanya whose organisation is a member of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said government should be worried about the question of livelihood and stop diverting people’s attention from key issues affecting the country.
“They should answer the question of livelihoods, they shouldn’t divert from the core critical question of this epoch’.
“There is need for the question of unemployment, hunger and poor hospital conditions to be answered, because the core mandate of the government is to protect its people and their livelihood,” said Ruhanya.
He added that factionalism in ZANU PF should not affect the day to day governing of the state.
“In the face of impending elections in 2018 the amendment of the constitution strengthens the establishment of competitive authoritarianism and marks an end to the principle of separation of powers, as the judicial arm is becomes subjected to presidential control reminiscent of the Lancaster House Constitution’ that is according to the statement by the civil society organisation panelists,” added Ruhanya.
He called on government to concentrate on addressing national problems facing the country and find solutions instead of spending energy fighting to amend the constitution.
Government is proceeding with the process of amending the constitution to allow the President to appoint the Chief Justice and other top judiciary officers. The constitution that was adopted in 2013 provides for public interviews of judges with a shortlist of three finalists send to the President for nomination and appointment.
