The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has refused to release information on the selection of judges and the criteria used to pick the senior members of the bench despite poor showing during interviews.
Journalist Mlondolozi Ndlovu recently wrote to the JSC requesting information related to the interviews and final selection of the judges.
Ndlovu cited Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act.
Twelve judges were sworn in last month after the interviews, and have since taken delivery of their top of the range vehicles.
Ndlovu said he was working on a feature article pertaining to the appointment system for judges in Zimbabwe after eyebrows were raised over the performance of some of them during the interviews.
“lt was reported in the press that at the conclusion of the public interviews in Harare, the JSC interviewing panel would deliberate on the performance of the candidates,” Ndlovu's lawyer Chris Mhike wrote to the JSC in a letter dated June 26.
“We assume the commission deliberated on the performance of the candidates in a fair manner, and thereafter forwarded the required shortlist to the President.
“However, details regarding the processes which followed the public interviews are unknown to our client, and to the public.”
- Heated estate wrangle sucks in JSC, Sacu
- Magistrates' court for Mkoba
- Ziyambi defends Judiciary Amendment Bill
- Rights activist guns for top judge
Keep Reading
Ndlovu asked for details relating to the scoresheets for each of the candidates, who sat down for interviews.
“We are therefore instructed to request, as we hereby do, the following information relating to the subject judicial appointments,” he wrote.
“The scores of each of the candidates who sat down for the aptitude tests that were conducted by the JSC in April 2024
“The scores of each of the candidates, who appeared before the JSC interviewing panel at the public interviews conducted between May 13 and May 15.
“The full list of names that were submitted to the president... after the deliberations of the interviewing panel.”
Ndlovu also wanted reasons for the inclusion of those names that were forwarded to the president, and the reasons for the exclusion of candidates whose names did not make the list.
JSC secretary Walter Chikwanha refused to entertain the request saying the commission was not in a position to furnish him with the information because it was confidential.
"We write to advise that the JSC is not in a position to provide the requested information because it is confidential," Chikwanha said.
According to critics, the judges lacked the depth and clarity expected of a High Court judge during the interviews.
Among them is Naison Chivayo who faced the harshest criticism after he listed himself as a Zanu PF representative on his CV.
Chivayo is among those being elevated to the High Court.
