President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is now under pressure and has backtracked, now says it values the independence of the judiciary system, adding that it will never interfere in court processes.
This comes on the heels of Mnangagwa’s confessions that he controls everything from the army, police, courts, and other constitutional arms of government.
Mnangagwa once told investors that all the institutions in the country are just a branch of his Zanu-pf party. So anyone wishing bring money into the country will have to first of all respect his ZANU PF party.
However, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi out of pressure has backtracked saying the government respects the independence of the judiciary.
This comes as United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols and other diplomatic missions in the coutry told Mnangagwa to end persecution of human rights activists.
Ziyambi said it was unfair for western embassies to exert pressure on the government to release political activists who are facing charges of inciting public violence.
However, Minister Ziyambi said even as Justice Minister, he could not direct the courts to release someone from prison as that would be gross interference, which has no place in a country that respects the doctrine of separation of powers.
“My take as regard to (Ambassador) Nichols and all those who are talking about the justice delivery system, is that they have lost it. They want to bring in the Executive over cases that are before the courts. They say the Judiciary should be independent and then say the Executive should interfere.
“The Executive has nothing to do with cases that are before the courts. I have indicated that they play a game of double standards. Over a period spanning from end of March to May this year, I looked at the number of cases that Government was party to the litigation, where we were being sued. Of the 25 cases we only won six and lost the other 21 yet they don’t want to hear about this and only come out screaming saying we have captured the Judiciary.
“Our take is for them to shut up and stop commenting on cases before the courts. Leave the courts to do their work. I am not supposed to interfere, the American ambassador is not supposed to interfere, who am I to go to court and direct the courts to release somebody? I will be charged. The suggestions by the foreign embassies are actually a violation of what they are preaching.
“Constitutionalism dictates that I cannot, even if it’s my son, I have to follow the due process of the law. But they want us to use our Executive power inappropriately with these people. If they committed an offence, the courts are there to declare that they are innocent, not us, not the American ambassador, not whosoever,” Minister Ziyambi said.
The government has been under fire for persecuting human rights activists, including the arrests, abductions, and beatings of those of opposing views.
