Zanu-PF changes Constitution, Mugabe to appoint Chief Justice

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is also responsible for justice legal and parliamentary affairs says Zanu-PF, using its majority in parliament has resolved to amend the constitution to allow the President to appoint the Chief Justice after noting the anomaly that junior members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) cannot interview their bosses aspiring to hold office of the Chief Justice.

In an interview in Harare this morning, Vice President Mnangagwa said the ruling party compromised during the constitution making process and allowed the new constitution to pass for the sake of progress.

He said after the JSC conducted their interviews of the three candidates who availed themselves, Deputy Chief Justice Malaba scored the highest marks with 91 points, second was Justice Rita Makarau with 90 points while Justice Paddington Garwe did not pass with 52 percent.

The Vice President explained that under the current constitution only those who passed are supposed to be forwarded on to the President for consideration but Garwe's name was also given to the President as one of the candidates who underwent the interview.