Mugabe to appoint new CIO boss

President Robert Mugabe will appoint a new director general of the Zimbabwean intelligence agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) following the appointment of Happyton Bonyongwe as the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Bonyongwe took over from Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa with immediate effect.

Mugabe will appoint the new director general for a five year period in terms of Section 226(1) of the Constitution. According to Section 106(2)(a) and (b) on the conduct of Vice Presidents, Ministers and Deputy Ministers Bonyongwe cannot be the Director General of the CIO and Justice Minister at the same time. Section 106(2)(a) and (b) reads:

2. Vice-Presidents, Ministers and Deputy Ministers may not, during their tenure of office–

a. directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or undertake any other paid work;

b. act in any way that is inconsistent with their office, or expose themselves to any situation involving the risk of a conflict between their official responsibilities and private interests; 

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Also, section 208 on Conduct of members of security services makes Bonyongwe ineligible to continue as director general since he is now part of the Zanu-PF Government. Section 208(2) reads:

2. Neither the security services nor any of their members may, in the exercise of their functions–

a. act in a partisan manner;

b. further the interests of any political party or cause;

c. prejudice the lawful interests of any political party or cause; or

d. violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person