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Mugabe gets unlimited powers to appoint judges

Hon. Chinotimba

Harare:Constitutional Amendment Bill (Number One) sailed through the National Assembly last night in an incident-filled sitting as MDC-T lawmakers protested bitterly during deliberations.

The Bill is now expected to be transmitted to Senate.

The Bill seeks to confer on the President, powers to appoint the Chief Justice, his deputy and Judge president instead of subjecting them to public interviews as what happens in respect of other judges.

Zanu-PF asserted its dominance by overwhelmingly voting in favour of the Bill, despite spirited attempts by MDC-T lawmakers to scuttle the Bill’s passage by raising several points of order.

The Bill got 182 votes against 41 votes which was more than the two thirds threshold required by the Constitution for a Bill to pass.

The Bill required 180 affirmative votes from the 270-member National Assembly. Soon after passage of the Bill, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa commended legislators for constructive debate.

“I am grateful that the opposition made constructive contributions some of which was incisive and well researched. This is what democracy is all about where those who do not agree are given an opportunity to debate but at the end of the day the majority will have their way,” said VP Mnangagwa. state media