“Justice Makarau appointment is questionnable” says Namibia opposition

By Agencies

NAMIBIA’S opposition has questioned the appointment to the country’s supreme court of Zimbabwean judge, Justice Rita Makarau, citing among other concerns, her role in disputed elections which were allegedly rigged in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party.

Namibia’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC) last week confirmed Justice Makarau’s appointment to the country’s Supreme Court effective from the beginning of this month (April) to the end March next year.

According to the Namibian newspaper, opposition parties in the country have questioned the appointment; these include, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF).

Makarau is a vastly experienced judge of the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, as well as the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe and was also, previously, the judge president of the High Court of Zimbabwe.

PC president Panduleni Itula described Makarau’s appointment as “justice betrayed” citing the judge’s role as chair of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Justice Rita Makarau

Makarau stepped down as ZEC chair in 2017, having presided over elections disputed by the opposition which accused the electoral body of rigging plebiscites in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party.

NEFF deputy president Longinus Iipumbu described Makarau’s appointment as highly concerning given the deterioration of justice in Zimbabwe.

“We must remember that the highest courts in her country have virtually made it impossible to deliver sound judgements in serious matters of electoral rigging and fraud in that country,” Iipumbu said.

However Zimbabwean lawyer Advocate Fadzai Mahere, who is also spokesperson of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), said there was nothing sinister about Makarau’s appointment.

Mahere said Namibia’s deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb was in Zimbabwe towards the end of last year to see the benchmark of the Zimbabwean process in the integrated court management system.

“Remember, Makarau is a Constitutional Court judge here in Zimbabwe… there is nothing sinister about this appointment because what is used to measure these appointments is expertise,” the CCC spokesperson told the Namibian.

However, IPC party leader Itula said it was regrettable that 33 years after independence, the Namibian judicial system continues to rely on foreign judges.

“Does this mean there is a failure in the education of our judges? While the practice of appointing foreign justices has been prevalent for some time, it has also seen the most shocking Supreme Court judgements,” he said.

“Namibia is not a multinational entity to be served by foreign justices with no allegiance to our people and our sacrifices. The government in such an unconstitutional appointment betrayed the will of the Namibian electorate.”