Judiciary under spotlight following pro-Zanu (PF) Judgements

by Tichaona Sibanda
18 October 2005

The failure by the Judiciary to nullify Zanu (PF) victories in constituencies that were engulfed with violence in the March parliamentary elections has again shown that the justice system in the country is heavily compromised.

Political commentator Bekithemba Mhlanga said the unwillingness by the Judges to overturn the election results, despite overwhelming evidence of violence, indicates a system that is upholding the interests of its masters.

‘I don’t know what the judges wanted the MDC candidates to bring. Maybe they expected them to bring dead bodies and broken limbs or people stitched up from election violence. Or worse they wanted them to bring entire villages that were displaced or people who fled the country and sought refuge outside Zimbabwe to come and testify,’ said Mhlanga.

Almost all judges on Monday agreed that Robert Mugabe’s henchmen used food and violence to win votes. The judges were delivering rulings on a number of election petitions filed by losing MDC candidates from various parts of the country.

MDC Legal Secretary David Coltart said the judgements on the facts were fair but was disappointed that the results went against them. It has long been known that the Supreme and High Court benches are stuffed with Zanu (PF) supporters and sympathisers.

‘You only need to look back and see who makes up the judiciary and whose interest they are actually serving…and you shouldn’t be very surprised,’ said Mhlanga.