The High Court has upheld the denial of bail for 77 CCC members by the Magistrates Court, pending their trial. These members held an illegal political gathering under the guise of a braai to celebrate the 16 June Uprising in South Africa. Similarly, the High Court has also upheld the denial of bail for ZANU PF-affiliated businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, who are charged with defrauding the state by misappropriating funds intended for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme. Meanwhile, Afrobarometer, in collaboration with Open Society, has announced a project dedicated to protecting and promoting the independence of judges and judicial officers through the Africa Judicial Independence Fund.
The opposition’s hypocrisy is evident as they protest the denial of bail for their accused members while remaining silent or even celebrating the bail denial for Chimombe and Mpofu, claiming they might abscond after allegedly defrauding millions. The law should be applied consistently, based on the merits of each case, without double standards.
Zimbabwe is a constitutional democracy with a clear separation of powers among the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary. The Judiciary must be allowed to adjudicate cases without undue influence from any quarter. The irony of Afrobarometer and Open Society’s initiative is not lost, as these organizations themselves may exert external pressure on judges and judicial officers. They must allow Africa’s Judiciary to operate independently, free from inducements or lobbying, as enshrined in the respective countries’ constitutions.
