Dismissal of Masvingo Magistrate Mr Madhibha unfair 

It is true that Magistrates and judges have to be competent. They have to measure to the standard expected of them by discharging their duties efficiently, effectively and judiciously. Source: Dismissal of Masvingo Magistrate Mr Madhibha unfair . – The Zimbabwean They also have to discharge their duties with utmost good faith, without malice and […]

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It is true that Magistrates and judges have to be competent. They have to measure to the standard expected of them by discharging their duties efficiently, effectively and judiciously.

Source: Dismissal of Masvingo Magistrate Mr Madhibha unfair . – The Zimbabwean

They also have to discharge their duties with utmost good faith, without malice and also they are expected to be impartial when adjudicating on any case. lt does not matter as to who is involved in that case.

The law knows no status or rank. If the judiciary personnel aforementioned fail to live up to these expectations or to abide by the regulations of the JSC, they can be discharged from performing the services that they are employed to render to the government and the public.

What l find ambiguous and questionable about the dismissal of Mr M is that he has been working for many years and then all of a sudden he gets dismissed. This is my view is questionable.l think someone is playing politics here. This is just like in the dismissal of the Public prosecutor (PG)which is also attributed to politics. Thus why we need an autonomous judiciary entity in Zimbabwe. If Mr M had been dismissed for taking bribes, then it would be a fair dismissal. But with the reasons stated in this paper, it is surely unfair to dismiss a man that has worked for so many years summarily like that. Something must be wrong somewhere.

Does it mean that for all these years he has been not performing his duties as expected of him?. Then if that is the case, the Minister or previous Ministers who have been in charge of the justice department are the ones to blame. Thus because they have not been doing their jobs properly. Moreso, his immediate supervisor(s) are equally to blame. Surely someone who has been his boss must also be dismissed if that is the case. This goes on to show that there is mismanagement of the judiciary department in Zimbabwe.

This also means that all the cases which he dealt with for all the years in which he was a magistrate have to be reviewed as they were not handled properly. Justice means fairness. So, there was no fairness in the cases that he handled. So, if people who were convicted by him come forward and submit their complaints, what will the department of justice do?

Would they review their cases? Another issue which is questionable about the reason for his dismissal is that magistrates and judges follow guidelines and the law when adjudicating on cases. The guidelines set the threshold of cases. So, one wonders why now Mr M is dismissed for being incompetent in handling cases. And the cases cited (of the bus driver), cannot justify his dismissal.lt is possible that when he dealt with that case he followed the guidelines. Even if the public complains, that cannot be a reason to dismiss him as he is vested with the authority to judge cases according to what the law stipulates. A person who is alleged to have committed a crime of murder can have their case discharged by the court if the magistrate or judge deems it fit.

So, it does not matter that in the case in question there was a loss of life involved. If the circumstances and facts point to that someone is not guilty of the alleged crime, then the court has the right to discharge them of the alleged crime. So, in my view, Mr M was unfairly dismissed. The only reason there could be politics. My views without bias or prejudice.

By Njabulo.libertyatliberty at gmail dot com

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Inaction as a curse in climate change deliverables 

Source: Inaction as a curse in climate change deliverables – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 18, 2019 guest column:Peter Makwanya Despite climate change being just a buzz word and phenomena, with the media mouth-pieces and platforms screaming about climate change universals and ethical considerations — including climate action practices, all forms of climate change coverages around the […]

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Source: Inaction as a curse in climate change deliverables – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 18, 2019

guest column:Peter Makwanya

Despite climate change being just a buzz word and phenomena, with the media mouth-pieces and platforms screaming about climate change universals and ethical considerations — including climate action practices, all forms of climate change coverages around the world should translate into meaningful action strategies.

As they practise these climate fundamentals, they will be advocating for life-long learning and skills to form sustainable climate action strategies, relevant in the new information age and world order.

For these climate change fundamentals to succeed, it would depend on how information is communicated through a wide variety of world media platforms.

It is the manner in which climate change information is communicated to specific audiences, which should prompt people and other stakeholders into action or in a manner that will demoralise or disempower their will, soul, intrinsic motivation as well as eco-conscious desire for environmental sustainability.

In this regard, how climate change knowledge brokers, communicators, scientists and policymakers talk about climate change challenges, should excite people and lead them into
action.

Indeed, people, as sustainable audiences, require some transformations in the manner they visualise or interact with the environment, by nurturing their creativity and spirits of innovations.

Although widespread climate change coverage is important in empowering people with powerful eco-conscious ideas, it is the manner in which it is done, which should be effective.

Responses to the climate change fundamentals and translating them into sustainable actions or resilience would require the spirit of Ubuntu/humanism, urgency and pro-activeness.

That is the desire to examine one’s surroundings objectively, while influenced by relevant and appropriate world views, in order to identify the missing links or gaps in their immediate environment.

As individuals who are assertive and conscious of their surroundings, relevant authorities need to structure and come up with achievable and measurable goals.

Policymakers and relevant authorities should go it simple and practical rather than being overwhelmed by their own objectives.

While it is always good to be ambitious, planners should not be slaves of their objectives.

The objectives are not meant to kill people, but to transform and deliver them from climate change challenges in order to realise their climate goals.

For these reasons, they need to establish interactive and dialoguing relationships with their environment, in reciprocal situations, rather than an eco-freak relationship.

The spirit of humanism and environmental stewardship would always be the appropriate starting point for creative thinking and innovations for climate action strategies.

Climate change information should be audience and context-specific in order for it to save a purpose and translate into deliverables.

The language used should not be threatening, but empowering to help transform people into true environmental stewards and nature heroes.

The poor also need to have their place in the climate action strategies framework so as to be climate literate.

Context-specific communication strategies lead to climate solutions, which translate into climate actions.

Climate information messages need to be concrete, effective in communication and proactive in action, and should prompt many people into creative thinking and pathways to
change innovations.

Even policymakers should enact policies that evoke a spirit of action or desire to correct environmental imbalances.

This also requires climate scientists to be open in their community of practices as well as to establish some working relationships with stakeholders, especially the media
and universities.
What the media communicate should never divert the people or other stakeholders’ attention from the pressing environmental challenges.

Instead, people’s attention should be strengthened, modified, re-directed and rejuvenated into a variety of framework goals.

In this regard, knowledge of audiences would save to situate each and every individual into their community of practices determined by their situations, needs analysis, qualifications or immediate community environmental concerns.

This would require local initiatives to tackle local problems using the local perspectives and local resources.

People already have ideas or what needs to be done in order to tackle climate challenges, but they lack inspiration, appropriate voices and guidance.

The ability to be or not to be heard becomes the missing link in rural development and, in particular, climate change adaptations.

All in all, and above everything else, objectives need to be designed according to the needs of local communities, their desires and challenges.

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Designer Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s global icon, dies in Paris

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