Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has asked the National Assembly to cause Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi to bring a ministerial statement explaining his recent attacks on the country’s judiciary.
Minister Ziyambi accused the judiciary system of being captured and working to tarnish the image of the Second Republic following the High Court decision on Justice Luke Malaba’s term extension.
Raising a point on national interests, Honourable Mliswa said Ziyambi’s reaction was uncalled for and has now compromised the judges that will hear the appeal.
‘’We saw a statement by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi on the judges. My understanding is that in the doctrine of separation of powers which we must all understand, the Judiciary is independent, so is the Executive and Parliament.
‘’Each one of us has a role to play. What I understand and what I think the Minister should do is to come with a Ministerial Statement to explain why when a matter is subjudice, he decided to comment on it. Now that the matter has been appealed, already the judges that are handling this matter are already compromised. They are under threat.
‘’It has never happened where a Minister of Justice who is the father of justice issues a statement like that and goes political in saying that some judges belong to the opposition. We never knew anything that any judge belongs to the opposition as much as we believe that his discharge of duty as a Minister is for the interest of the people of Zimbabwe.
‘’It is important that the Minister comes and issues a Ministerial Statement because there is now a constitutional crisis in the country pertaining to that and it is important that, that statement will be able to get us to understand. Other than that, he must resign but he must be given a chance because his credibility and that of the justice delivery system of Zimbabwe which must exercise judicial prudence has been failed by one person.
‘’I think it is important that he does right for the country, puts the country first and hence his resignation. Before that, it will be good for us to hear what he has to say pertaining to that,” he said.
Parliament to quiz Ziyambi over Malaba statement
