President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are reportedly embroiled in a fight over a suitable candidate to replace Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chair person Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe who is believed to be considering quitting the post to remain on the Namibian bench. Report by Moses Matenga
Impeccable sources told NewsDay yesterday that Tsvangirai and Mugabe had a heated debate over the issue late last year with the Premier pushing for retired Supreme Court judge Justice Wilson Sandura. However, the sources said Mugabe shot down Sandura’s name but proffered no alternatives.
Sources said Mugabe was uneasy with Justice Sandura leading the electoral commission because of the latter’s alleged refusal to toe the Zanu PF line.
Justice Sandura headed the “Sandura Commission” set up by Mugabe in the late 1980s to probe corruption in government where five senior Zanu PF politicians later resigned in shame after they were exposed in the Willovale vehicle scandal.
Sources said Tsvangirai was now considering roping in a top University of Zimbabwe law professor (name supplied) as a possible replacement for Mutambanengwe.
“Mutambanengwe as you know, is in Namibia on a full time job and indications are that he will be resigning any time and the Prime Minister is in the process of negotiating with someone to take up the post,” said a source.
“It’s too early to give the name of the person because it will muddy the waters and will collapse everything,” the source added. But chief-of-staff in the Prime Minister’s office Alex Magaisa said he was yet to be briefed by his boss who is currently on holiday while Presidential spokesperson George Charamba could not be reached for comment yesterday as his mobile number was not reachable.
Zec is responsible for the management of all elections and referendums including the election of Senate president, Speaker of the House of Assembly and local authorities.
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The commission is also responsible for the delimitation of wards, constituencies, directing, controlling, supervising the registration of voters, designing, printing and distribution of ballot papers.
