Mabiza defends Majome reassignment

The reassignment of Jessie Majome from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to the Public Service Commission is constitutionally sound and should not be interpreted as removal from office, Attorney-General Virginia Mabiza has said.

Mabiza, the Government's chief legal adviser, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa acted within his constitutional powers in transferring Majome to serve as a commissioner in the Public Service Commission.

She dismissed claims that the move was unconstitutional, arguing that commentary to that effect reflects a misunderstanding of legal distinctions within Zimbabwe's governance framework.

"There is no doubt that, within our constitutional context, reassignment and removal from office are two different things," Mabiza said. "Reassignment typically entails a change in responsibilities or posting, while removal from office usually implies a more serious action, often arising from gross misconduct or incapacity."

She added that the decision was made in full compliance with the law and followed established constitutional procedures.

Mabiza also noted that Majome has previously been reassigned between constitutional bodies, including a prior transfer from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

The Attorney-General maintained that the current reassignment should be viewed as an administrative redeployment within constitutional structures rather than a punitive or unlawful removal from office.