Supreme Court rejects bid to block JSC

A bid by the Zimbabwean Government to stop the constitutional process of appointing Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku’s successor has failed after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The commission’s victory set aside High Court Judge Justice Charles Hungwe’s judgment which had sought to stop public interviews to choose Justice Chidyausiku’s successor. News Day reports that Supreme Court Judges of Appeal, Justices Ben Hlatshwayo, Bharat Patel and Vernanda Ziyambi, unanimously agreed to uphold the JSC’s appeal. The reasons were reserved. Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was cited as the third respondent, was against the JSC interviewing the candidate, saying the procedure 'presents serious challenges'. The ruling means President Robert Mugabe will have to choose a new Chief Justice from a list comprising Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba and Justices Rita Makarau and Paddington Garwe.