Source: Top judge calls for a peaceful campaign – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 13, 2018
HIGH Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa yesterday urged politicians aspiring to contest in this year’s harmonised elections to campaign peacefully to enable the electorate to freely elect their preferred representatives.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Speaking at the official opening of Mutare courts’ legal year, Musakwa said politicians should resist the temptation of using underhand methods and violence to woo voters.
“This year marks the holding of harmonised elections. Elections entail that those who aspire for public office engage the public to win the support,’’ he
said.
“Since an election is a game of numbers there may be a temptation to use underhand methods and violence to woo the electorate. It is noted that the Head of the State has assured that the elections will be conducted in a peaceful manner. We urge those that aspire for public office to campaign peacefully so that the general public exercises its will freely.’’
The top jury bemoaned the upsurge in cases of corruption in public institutions and called on citizens to help fight the scourge.
“As part of the fight against corruption the Chief Justice (Luke Malaba) announced the setting up of special courts, which should start operating during the first quarter of 2018. On a larger scale corruption can blight a country’s global ranking on the index of doing business and can effect prospects of investment,’’ he said.
“It is also necessary to significantly strengthen institutions that are at the core of fighting corruption, for example, if they are under-resourced and the personnel are not adequately remunerated, it will always be difficult to effectively tackle the scourge,’’ Musakwa added.
He also decried the under-re-sourcing of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s forensic department, claiming that a number of crimes were possibly going undetected and if detected, the quality of evidence is low.
“I previously highlighted the need for revamping of the forensic department of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. This relates to the area of the fingerprint classification and identification, ballistics and DNA profiling, I will elaborate a bit on the subject.
“Forensic science is a vital tool in the investigation of crime, because of the under-resourcing of this area a number of crimes may go undetected. Even if detected the quality of evidence is low if not next to nil,’’ he said.
The High Court judge said sexual offences, robbery, assault and murder cases were among other crimes that require forensic evidence, hence the need to urgently equip the department.
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