By Benjamin Wickham
WINDHOEK, April 6 — Namibia’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC) confirmed the appointment of Zimbabwean judge Justice Rita Makarau to the country’s Supreme Court, effective from April to March next year. However, opposition parties, including the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), have raised concerns over the appointment. They cite Justice Makarau’s alleged role in disputed elections that were rigged in favour of Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party. Makarau is a highly experienced judge who has served on Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Court and was previously the judge president of the High Court.
IPC president Panduleni Itula described Makarau’s appointment as “justice betrayed” due to her previous role as the chair of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which oversaw elections disputed by the opposition. NEFF deputy president Longinus Iipumbu also expressed concerns, citing the deterioration of justice in Zimbabwe. However, Zimbabwean lawyer Advocate Fadzai Mahere defended the appointment, stating that there was nothing sinister about it, and that expertise was the only factor used to measure such appointments.
IPC party leader Itula criticized the appointment of foreign judges, stating that it was regrettable that 33 years after independence, the Namibian judicial system continued to rely on foreign judges. Itula suggested that this was a failure of the education system for judges and that Namibia should not be served by foreign justices with no allegiance to the Namibian electorate. – Namibia Daily News
