Posted on 03/02/2002 7:31:31 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - A Supreme Court judge has quit the bench, joining a growing list of resignations by independent-minded members of the judiciary in Zimbabwe.
Judge Ahmed Ebrahim's decision to step down Friday came just two days after a Supreme Court panel he headed struck down revised electoral laws that had given state polling officials sweeping powers.
The ruling was considered a major blow to President Robert Mugabe's government ahead of the March 9-10 elections. Determined to remain in power after 22 years of autocratic rule, Mugabe has tried to push through legislation aimed at squashing dissent ahead of the vote.
Ebrahim is a Zimbabwean of Indian descent and was the last non-black judge in the Supreme Court.
The judiciary has been under growing pressure by the government to issue rulings in its favor and government officials described the decision Ebrahim oversaw as ``a rotten fish''.
Justice ministry officials said Ebrahim submitted a letter of resignation stating he would be taking leave before retiring from the court in May.
Ebrahim is the fifth senior judge to quit in the past year.
Among senior judges to have left the bench recently is former Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay. He was forced to take early retirement last July after the government warned him and other judges they would not be protected from ruling party militants, who stormed the Supreme Court in December 2000, shouting, ``Kill the judges!''
The Supreme Court under Gubbay had declared the government-sanctioned seizure of white-owned farms illegal. The court was accused by militants of bias in favor of white landowners.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court struck down the General Laws Amendment Act, passed by the ruling party in January.
The ruling said the act was improperly pushed through Parliament and violated constitutional and voters rights. It nullified sweeping powers given to state electoral officials and restrictions on election observers and party polling agents.
It also overruled an amendment giving the state sole power to appoint local election monitors and allowed church and other independent groups to deploy monitors at voting and counting stations.
Last year, the government expanded the Supreme Court bench from five to eight judges, in an apparent bid to pack the highest court in the country with sympathetic judges.
Gubbay's successor, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, has been accused of openly supporting ruling party policies.
Zimbabwe has been wracked by political violence as Mugabe, 78, faced his biggest challenge from Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
The opposition narrowly lost parliamentary elections in June 200.
Oh, I get it: if he did that the euroweenies might not send him as much money. Not to worry, in two years when his citizenry is busy starving to death because of his insane policies, the euroweenies and the US will feel compelled to send lots and lots of aid. He can loot it then.
Isn't that what our Senate and House have voted to do with Campaign Finance Reform - ie the limit on speech 60 days before an election? We need that judge over here.
Dictators crave the air of legitimacy eletions give them. That why they had them in old Soviet Union and why Castro runs for election every so many years.
Why do these militants remind of democrats?
"But of course we say: 'Go to hell'. Go to hell, our people have decided and that is what matters to us. It's not the right or responsibility of the British to decide on our elections. We don't decide on theirs and why should they poke their pink noses in our business?"
Robert Mugabe
ROFL, they might not anyways.. Seeing as how he just told Tony Blair to "Go To Hell"
Bump!
Because they do the same things.
This professor addresses the problem New union must learn from the past to help Africa but I don't think this is the answer. At this point I don't see any civilized society prepared to move on this. The professor does speak to Africa's internal problems, which of course must be addressed and corrected as a starting point for healthy societies with economic and political viability .
Among senior judges to have left the bench recently is former Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay. He was forced to take early retirement last July after the government warned him and other judges they would not be protected from ruling party militants, who stormed the Supreme Court in December 2000, shouting, ``Kill the judges!''
The Supreme Court under Gubbay had declared the government-sanctioned seizure of white-owned farms illegal. The court was accused by militants of bias in favor of white landowners. *****
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.