The Cabinet of Zimbabwe has approved the Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2019 which among other things gives the elected president the powers to appoint his deputies.
This is a departure from the provisions of section 92 of the 2013 Constitution which provides for the joint election of the President and two running mates selected by the Presidential candidate.
Some of the salient amendments to be effected will include the following:
- The president-elect is now authorised under Section 94 of subsection (2) to appoint two persons to be Vice Presidents as soon as he assumes office.
- The conditions under which a Vice President will vacate office (Section 95)
- The President can now under Section 180, upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, appoint a sitting judge to be the judge of a higher court wherever a vacancy at such a court arises.
- Appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court for a non-renewable term of not more than 15 years.
- The retirement age for judges of the High Court, Labour Court and any other judges will be 70 years;
- The Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, and judges of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts will hold office until they reach the age of 70 years and thereafter may have their contracts renewed annually.
More: The Herald