President Robert Mugabe sat down for a disturbing and symbolic photoshoot with the new Chief Justice Luke Malaba and Mugabe’s two Vice Presidents. In what contradicts the doctrine of separation of powers, Justice Malaba sat down next to Mugabe graphically soiling the face of Constitutional dignity. Malaba’s appointment is controversial, the man having passed many unconstitutional verdicts such as his ruling on ZBC licences which forces the public to continue paying for what they do not watch.
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Below were state media updates:
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1254: Justice Malaba has just been officially sworn in as the new Chief Justice taking over from Retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku who left office in February after attaining the mandatory age of 70.
1250: Chief Justice-designate Luke Malaba takes his oath of office.
1249: The swearing in ceremony has started with President Robert Mugabe reading through the Constitutional requirements that enable him as the President to appoint Justice Malaba.
1238: President Mugabe has just arrived at State House for the ceremony.
1232: He (Malaba) has practised law for 30 years and a registered legal practitioner for 21 years.
1231: The Chief Justice designate is Justice Malaba who is 65 years old, has held letters of law for 39 years.
1228: Rehearsals for the installation of a new chief justice are underway at State House in Harare.
1226: Dean of the University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Law Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Acting Attorney General Joel Zowa also in attendance.
1213: We now await the arrival of President Mugabe who will conduct the swearing in ceremony.
1209: Malaba chief justice designate rehearsing.
1208: The Judiciary fraternity and Justice Malaba’s relatives wait for the swearing in ceremony here at the State House.
1205: Minister Josiah Hungwe is also here.
1159: Vice Presidents Mnangagwa and Mphoko have also arrived for the ceremony.
1158: Several High and Supreme Court judges have also arrived ahead of the ceremony. These include High Court Judge President Justice George Chiweshe, Supreme Court Judge and Secretary to the Judicial Services Commission Justice Rita Makarau and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza.
1146: Deputy JSC Secretary Walter Chikwanha is also here present.
1145: Deputy Chief Secretaries to the President and Cabinet Dr Ray Ndlukula and Retired Colonel Christian Katsande also in attendance.
1144: Justice Luke Malaba has arrived at the State House for the swearing ceremony. He is being taken through the paces by the Chief of Protocol Munyaradzi Kajese (light in complexion).
Chief Justice Luke Malaba was officially sworn in by Mugabe, so is being sworn in less than simple photo ops? I
True, but is lack of judiciary independence reflected in this picture. Obviously NO. That’s were the argument is
True there is nothing wrong with President Mugabe sitting next to one of the country’s judges but what the article is highlighting is the big problem of judiciary independence. We should be concerned about this because in the country’s poisoned political environment we know none of the judges are independent. NONE!
If we want a healthy and functional democratic government then we must implement all the democratic reforms including reforms in the judiciary to ensure there is no control of judges by the state president!
The problem with this paper is now of credibility.Too much sensationalizing issues. Seperation of powers does not mean that these two must never be seen together in public or private.
Can ZIMEYE journalist (if it has them in the first place) write factual stories rather than trying to build something that is not there.These two are part of the arms of state who work together but they should be independent from each other.
There is nothing wrong,for example,with Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirayi seeting next to each other or holding hands even though they belong to two different political parties.It does not mean they should be enemies.