Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tendai Biti has accused Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe of personalizing state institutions and depriving them of any operational independence.
This comes in the wake of five Judges recusing themselves from hearing the case of Amendment No 1 of 2017 which involves the appointment of the Chief Justice and his Deputies.
Biti who is a lawyer by profession says the matter has revealed the absence of independence for state institutions.
“Functional States work on the basis of strong independent institutions and among these the judiciary is the most important”.
“The recusal of 5 Supreme Court Judges from what essentially is a very simple legal appeal speaks volumes of state capture by the Butcher”, he said.
Biti accused some fellow lawyers of posturing as such whilst they have become politicians in their practice of duty.
“The Supreme Court hearing over CJ succession is proving beyond doubt that there are now some ZANU musketeers masquerading as lawyers”.
“Our primary duty as lawyers is to the Justice and the rule of law. After all we are officers of the court and we have a duty to defend the K (Constitution)”
“That Justice Ziyambi had to be dragged from retirement to hear this appeal because 5 judges have been intimated by the junta is unacceptable”, he said.
The government proposed amendment of the law intends to give President Mugabe powers to appoint the Chef Justice, a move that has been deemed as an attack on constitutional democracy by Prof Jonathan Moyo.
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