via Tomana defends Zanu PF ties – DailyNews Live by Chengetai Zvauya 1 APRIL 2014
Johannes Tomana, Zimbabwe’s prosecutor-general, yesterday said his allegiance to the ruling Zanu PF party does not compromise his professionalism.
Reiterating his allegiance to the ruling party, Tomana told a parliamentary portfolio committee on Legal, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs chaired by MDC MP Jessie Majome, that there was nothing wrong with him supporting a party of his choice.
He rejected accusations by Majome that his allegiance caused bias in executing his duty as the chief legal advisor to government.
Tomana was briefing the committee on the operations and functions of the National Prosecuting Authority. He was grilled about his alleged partisanship and said he was qualified and competent to occupy the office of prosecutor-general.
“No person in this country will be qualified to occupy an office if we start judging people on political lines,” Tomana said. “It is either you are Zanu PF or MDC. Are you saying the fact that I declared publicly that I support Zanu PF means that I should not occupy that office?
“It is my constitutional right to choose a party I want to support, of my choice that persuades me with their policies and I choose Zanu PF and there is nothing wrong with that.
“I am a registered voter, I have a right to choose a political party that I want and I did that and I see nothing wrong with that. The question that should be asked is whether I am competent or not.”
“The post of the National Prosecution Authority requires a person who is independent and you are on record saying you support Zanu PF. Does that not compromise you?” Majome asked.
Tomana said he was going to carry out his duty without fear, favour or bias towards any political party or anyone.
“I don’t look at what party does a person belong to whether you are MDC or not if you have broken the law, you will face the music. There is no selective prosecution,” Tomana said.
He said he was waiting for the National Prosecuting Authority Bill to sail through in Parliament for him to begin to operate effectively as he had no manpower and budget to carry out his duty as the prosecutor-general.
COMMENTS
I seem to recall the regulations covering civil servant s stipulating that you had to be apolitical.
How things have changed.
Or is it because Majome is not aware of this.
Tomana you are a grubby fellow. We know it. You know it. There is nothing you do that is legitimate or decent. You belong in one of your own jails for a very long stretch.
WHAT DOES THE NEW CONSTITUTION SAY!! ANYWHERE, DO AFRICANS KNOW THE VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DOCUMENT!
In Zimbabwe all senior appointments by Mugabe are done on political party lines. If he was neutral he would be some in his village or even abroad. Mugabe does not want independent professional near him. Thus from Chiwenga, Chihuri, Zimondi, Bonyongo, Tamona, Shiri, Mariyawanda Nzuwa, Tobaiwa Mudede, Magudya (New Reseve Bank Governor are all Zanu PF. He is right without partisanship no one will be appointed to any position by Mugabe. But that does not mean its the case world over but in Zimbabwe thus the way it is.