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Chidyausiku hero status to be debated
06 May 2017 at 12:32hrs | Views
THE government and Zanu-PF politburo are set to meet to discuss the hero status of the late retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, who died on Wednesday in South Africa of suspected heart and liver ailments.
Chidyausiku was 70 and had become the longest serving Chief Justice after independence in 1980. He retired two months ago after serving as the head of the judiciary since 2001.
Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo confirmed that the government was seized with the matter.
"At the moment, we are busy working on modalities to repatriate his body. Government and his family are working on that. After his body is here, we will then start to talk about burial arrangements and all the issue of whether to be a hero or not," he said.
National hero status is conferred by the Zanu-PF politburo at a meeting chaired by President Robert Mugabe.
Chidyausiku came into prominence through his judgments on the land question, where he ruled that the fast-track land reform programme was legal and the government had the power to appropriate agricultural land without paying compensation.
Meanwhile, the late Chief Justice's body is expected in the country at mid-day today.
"The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) wishes to advise that the body of the late retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku will depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 10:45am and arrive at Harare International Airport at 12:15pm," the JSC said in a statement.
Chidyausiku was 70 and had become the longest serving Chief Justice after independence in 1980. He retired two months ago after serving as the head of the judiciary since 2001.
Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo confirmed that the government was seized with the matter.
"At the moment, we are busy working on modalities to repatriate his body. Government and his family are working on that. After his body is here, we will then start to talk about burial arrangements and all the issue of whether to be a hero or not," he said.
Chidyausiku came into prominence through his judgments on the land question, where he ruled that the fast-track land reform programme was legal and the government had the power to appropriate agricultural land without paying compensation.
Meanwhile, the late Chief Justice's body is expected in the country at mid-day today.
"The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) wishes to advise that the body of the late retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku will depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 10:45am and arrive at Harare International Airport at 12:15pm," the JSC said in a statement.
Source - newsday
