President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made appointments on Commissions that has been viewed by some analysts as well calculated moves to infiltrate and capture independent institutions.
In some of these appointments he has appointed people with police and military backgrounds as commissioners, this is coming at the time the country’s security forces have been accused of brutality and various human rights abuses.
Angeline Guvamombe, the former Officer Commanding ZRP Support Unit, notoriously referred to as the Black Boots & known for violent policing methods which contravene human rights has been appointed to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa on Thursday swore into office new commissioners for the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), among them, Edward Mbewe a retired army Chief, and also filled in vacancies in two other independent commissions.
Political analyst, Alex Magaisa commenting on the moves said the HRC which has been a beacon of light and hope, has now been turned into something else.
“The HRC has been a beacon of light in a sea of darkness. It has been vigilant, thorough & robust in its watchdog role, calling a spade by its proper name.
“With the new human factor, this may be about to change. The hyena can’t be expected to look after the rights of goats,” he says.
Another analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya says;
“The institutional designs in Zimbabwe make it impossible to have independent institutions because ZANU PF has captured them and rendered them impotent deliberately for 40 years in order to maintain its political hegemony on the state.
“The head of riot police now a commissioner of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. That’s how fascist regimes operate.”
Some of the appointees are Professor Ruby Magosvongwe chairs the ZMC board whose other members include Dumisani Mashingaidze, Susan Makore, Mirriam Tose Majome, Retired Major Edward Mbewe, Tanaka Muganyi, Dr Phillip Pasirayi, Jasper Maphosa and Aleck Ncube.
Apparently, the new ZMC board was appointed in July this year but was yet to take the oaths of office and loyalty before the President as required by the Constitution.
The media watchdog has 10 major functions, top of which include to uphold, promote and develop freedom of the media, promoting and enforcing good practices and ethics in media as well as monitoring broadcast to ensure fairness and diversity of views, but analysts believe these elements have just been undermined.
It is also responsible for ensuring equal access to information, promoting fair competition and also has powers to investigate any conduct that appears to threaten freedom of the media and take disciplinary action against media practitioners who are found to have breached any laws or code of conduct.
President Mnangagwa also swore into office Angeline Guvamombe, Dorothy Moyo, Beauty Kaseke, Cowen Dziba and Brian Penduka as commissioners for the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission while Dr Nomatemba Ndiweni Masuku was sworn in as the new deputy chairperson for the Civil Service Commission.
-New Ziana/ Zwnews
