Makarau defends dual roles

By Bridget Mananavire

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Rita Makarau – who also serves as the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) secretary – has defended her dual roles amid growing concerns of conflict of interest and accusations of “double dipping”.

Makarau had been queried over her occupation of the two positions by outgoing chief justice (CJ) Godfrey Chidyausiku during interviews to recruit his successor.

Chidyausiku asked her that in “serving as chairperson of Zec, judge of the Supreme Court, secretary of the JSC, are you not being a bit of a bambazonke?”

“Not at all,” Makarau said, adding that “the decision lies with the appointing authority (President Robert Mugabe) whether to remove me from any of the positions or not.”

In another follow up question, Chidyausiku said Makarau was facing allegations of collecting salaries from both the JSC and Zec, but she said the best person to answer would be Mugabe, as the “decision lies with the appointing authority.”

Makarau went on to decline that if she was to assume the CJ post, it would create a crisis at the electoral commission which is in its homestretch in so far as setting up the 2018 electoral system is concerned.

“It has been done before. When I joined Zec on the 12th of March, the country was going to a referendum on the 13th of March, so it has been done before and someone can replace me and be equally competent,” she said.

In previous queries from the press and opposition, Makaru said she did not see anything wrong with her occupying the two posts.

She said she would not quit any of her posts as she did not see any conflict of interests.

“I do not see the conflict of interest being talked about. If I had seen that conflict, believe me, I would have stepped down… I do not believe that I am compromised and will not step down because I do not see the compromise,” Makarau said in November.

Political parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) have in the recent past been leading protests to push the Zanu PF government into implementing electoral reforms and also gunned for Makarau, who they say is holding two conflicting positions.

Among the electoral reforms that opposition political parties have been clamouring for are the demilitarisation of Zec, which they allege is packed with security agents as well as an announcement of a clear road-map to the next election by the electoral commission. Daily News