Source: Don’t we all deserve a chance? – DailyNews Live
STAFF WRITER 5 February 2018
HARARE – The appointment of Justice Priscilla Chigumba as head of the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has been met with mixed feelings.
Pessimists are frightened by her appointment.
They are arguing that none of her predecessors was independent from the
appointing authority, thus the new Zec chair is a chip off the old block
incapable of delivering an uncontested electoral outcome.
It is also being argued that Chigumba is not fit for office on account of
allegations that she tried to solicit for a $20 000 bribe in order to
throw out a civil case that was before her in 2013.
This is not helpful.
Zimbabweans will be going to the polls soon and it was going to be
inappropriate for Zec to handle such a mammoth task without a substantive
head.
Chigumba was found suitable for the job and, gleaning from her Curriculum
Vitae, she has what it takes to do the job.
She has been a judge of the High Court for six years and, before that, she
held the role of senior professional research assistant in the office of
the Chief Justice after serving as a magistrate since 2004 when she joined
the judiciary.
She did her law degree at King’s College London and her secondary school
at Goromonzi and St Ignatius schools. While allegations of bribery were
made against her during an interview, there is nothing to suggest that she
was brought before trial or any hearing, possibly due to lack of evidence.
The doctrine of “innocent until proven guilty” puts the burden of proof on
those who have issues against her without which it would be unfair to
smear her name when there is no adverse verdict passed against her.
Judging by her performance on the bench, she is also a sound legal mind
and a courageous one as well. Her dismissal of the State’s case against
cleric Evan Mawarire in 2017 immediately comes to mind. In 2016, she also
declared a government order against demonstrations illegal.
Chigumba arrives at Zec when expectations are high. Last November,
Zimbabweans stood together to show their revulsion against former
president Robert Mugabe’s autocratic rule. In this new era, elections that
are free from elements that can deny Zimbabwe a chance to move forward as
a democratic State are a prerequisite.
Chigumba is well aware of these issues and she has pledged to rise up to
the challenge.
Instead of undermining her, why not give her the opportunity to prove her
worth?
After all, don’t we all deserve a chance?
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