President Mnangagwa's Law Expertise Questioned
Some lawyers have questioned president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legal prowess after the president has made a number of legal mistakes since coming into office.
Lovemore Madhuku, a lecturer in the Law Faculty at the University of Zimbabwe, said
It’s very common to never set a foot in a courtroom as a lawyer. It’s not uncommon, there are many lawyers like that. But he should show legal skills where he is.Mnangagwa’s weakness is that he rarely shows legal skills, like his failure to read the Constitution properly to the extent of not knowing how many ministers can be appointed outside Parliament, or also not knowing what is meant by externalisation.
He is associated with many decisions that show lack of legal depth.
Former finance minister Tendai Biti also described Mnangagwa as legally illiterate saying,
It’s a reflection of lack of sharpness. There are lawyers who have never set foot in a courtroom but who won’t make the elementary mistakes that he is doing. His structural defect is that he is not sharp. Compare him with Mugabe, he is not sharp.
So it’s not only ministers, but his failure to appoint a Defence minister, his pronouncement in Davos that elections will be held in May when under the Constitution the earliest date for polling is July 23rd and the last date for polling is August 21st, or also not knowing what is meant by externalisation.
…So even though he is a lawyer, he is legally illiterate.
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