THE Judicial Services Commission (JSC) yesterday interviewed six aspiring Sadc administrative judges for which two successful candidates will be forwarded to the next panel for further interviews.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Four High Court judges Justices Francis Bere, Martin Makonese, Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa and Happius Zhou together with senior lawyers Arthur Johnson Manase and Charles Maunga went through the intense public interviews led by Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
Although the interviews were attended by few people, some of the interviewees however, exhibited total ignorance of the role of the new Sadc Administrative Tribunal which they were confusing with the disbanded one.
During the interviews, the candidates gave impressive backgrounds of their work and reasons why they would want to be considered for the posts despite failing to grasp the nature of the role of the new tribunal.
The new administrative tribunal is expected to deal with labour disputes between Sadc employees and States among others.
Justice Malaba and other panellists caught the aspiring judges flat-footed when they posed questions relating to the role of the new body, even some with impressive CVs, maintaining the body would be meant to resolve disputes among States.
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The panellists also asked if the new role would not interfere with their current work in terms of their ability and time.
For the senior lawyers, the panel inquired if the new role would not be a burden and an unachievable task considering their inexperience of not sitting on the bench.
The old tribunal was disbanded after Zimbabwe complained that the body sought to interfere and reverse the gains of the land reform programme.
Each country is expected to forward two names of the aspiring judges and of the 30 only seven would be appointed for the job. Justice Malaba said they had to use the local selection process for judges.
“As part of the process we shall follow the format that we normally follow in interviewing judges for the local bench. This will entail that I as chairperson of the panel, will put four standard questions to each of you. Thereafter members of the panel will be free to put any questions to you they deem fit,” the Deputy Chief Justice said before commencement of the interviews.
