Case Alert
Dr Musa Kika, Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, today, 11 June 2021, filed an urgent court application seeking an order for leave to execute the High Court judgment barring former Chief Justice, Luke Makaba, from exercising duties as the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe.
The urgent court application follows a judgment delivered by Justices Tsanga and Chirawu-Mugomba who ruled that Luke Malaba was not in contempt of court because the President and Minister of Justice had lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court.
The latest court application seeks an order that pending finalisation of the appeal , the former CJ should immediately cease and desist from exercising the functions of the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe either in a judicial or administrative capacity unless allowed to do so pursuant to the outcome of the appeal.
Three days ago Valerie Ingham-Thorpe and legal think-tank Veritas, filed a Constitutional Court application suing Malaba and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, arguing that “both Constitutional Amendment Act No. 1 of 2017… and Constitutional Amendment Act No. 2 of 2021 are unconstitutional” and should be voided.
In a joint founding affidavit filed through Tendai Biti’s law firm, Matinenga argues: “I aver and contend that the changes made in Constitutional Amendments No. 1 and 2, which allow the president to now solely appoint the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice, as well as extending the term of office of Constitutional Court Judges beyond the age of 70 as well as allowing current sitting judges of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court to benefit from the extension of the term of retirement from 70 to 75 is bad law which is against the principle of good governance of Zimbabwe espoused in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”
He also opposes the removal of the running mates clause from the 2013 Constitution saying “when account is taken of the foundational issue that the Constitution wished to address, namely the uncertain succession issue relating to the late President Mugabe, at the level of the State President” was a further breach of Section 117(2) (b) of the Constitution”, adding “such Acts are not permitted at law and, therefore,… should be set aside.”
The basic structure of the Zimbabwean constitution, Matinenga says, is predicated on the principle of separation of powers, and independence of the judiciary – founding principles which he reasons are codified in Section 3 of the supreme charter.
“I maintain that any Constitutional Bill or Act affecting the basic structure of the constitution is against the peace, order and good governance of Zimbabwe and is, therefore, unconstitutional to the extent that the two laws now allow the president to appoint judges and to temper with their offices, this is a fundamental redrafting of the constitution and a fundamental defacement of the basic structure and values of the constitution,” Matinenga submits.
The passage of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 1 by the legislature, he adds, was in breach of Section 147 of the constitution which provides that on the dissolution of Parliament, all proceedings pending at the time are terminated and every Bill, motion, petition, and other business lapses.
“The portion of the judgment of the Constitutional Court in the matter of Innocent Gonese and Jessie Majome v Speaker of Parliament & Others CCZ4/20 directing that the Senate passes Constitutional Amendment Bill No 1, within 180 days from the declaration of invalidity was a nullity… This is the essence of the instant application,” Matinenga submits.
Majome and Gonese had argued successfully against the Bill but Malaba, leading the bench, suspended his ruling for five months to give the government time to make the necessary adjustments and ram it through. Malaba is cited in that regard in this suit.
Opposition MDC Alliance MP for Chitungwiza North Godfrey Karakadzayi raised similar objections in a case filed with the Constitutional Court last week in which he is seeking an order nullifying the Senate vote of April 2021 on the Bill saying it was unlawful.
The five-year extension of Malaba’s term by Mnangagwa beyond his retirement age was ruled illegal by the High Court on May 15 after two applications by lawyer Musa Kika and the Young Lawyers Association of Zimbabwe, and his deputy Elizabeth Gwaunza was installed as Acting Chief Justice.
The matter was heard last week and the ruling is pending.
