BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA
PROSECUTOR-GENERAL Kumbirai Hodzi has resigned on medical grounds, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda said yesterday.
In a statement, Sibanda said Hodzi would be redeployed in the civil service after he recovers.
“It is with regret that I announce the resignation of Honourable Hodzi as Prosecutor-General. His resignation has come about due to ill-health requiring medical attention. On behalf of His Excellency the President, the Office of the President and Cabinet, and indeed on my behalf, I wish Honourable Hodzi speedy recovery,” Sibanda said.
“In light of this, His Excellency the President Emmerson Mnangagwa has accepted the resignation. His Excellency is ready to redeploy Hodzi elsewhere in the service as soon as his health rallies back.”
Hodzi took over the Prosecutor-General post in an acting capacity following the resignation of Ray Goba. Prior to his appointment, Hodzi served as Deputy Attorney-General.
Mnangagwa appointed Hodzi as the PG ahead of three front-runners who were rejected for various reasons, among them political.
He was appointed and sworn in in January 2019 following interviews in December 2018.
This was despite coming fifth out of the 10 candidates for the top job.
He had failed to score the 70% mark which was required in the interviews.
The PG was then handpicked by Mnangagwa, who rejected three front-runners namely Calvin Mantsebo, Tinomudaishe Chinyoka and Misheck Hogwe.
In 2021, lawyer Joshua Chirambwe petitioned the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to nullify Hodzi’s appointment as the substantive PG on several grounds. Chirambwe also disputed Hodzi’s fitness for the post, claiming he had failed public interviews.
But the ConCourt threw out the application by Chirambwe, arguing there was no constitutional obligation on the President to give reasons for rejecting the first list submitted to him by the Judicial Service Commission.
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