Zimbabwe’s President to more power

    Zimbabwe's government is proposing an amendment to the constitution to give the president the sole power to appoint the chief justice. 

   Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Justice Minister, has proposed the amendment. He is seen as a potential successor to 92 year old President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980. 

    The opposition has opposed the move, saying it will undermine the judiciary's independence. 

This is the first amendment to be proposed since Zimbabwe adopted a new constitution in 2013, which cut down the powers of the president.

    Currently the Judicial Services Commission, made up mostly of senior judges and lawyers, conducts public interviews of potential candidates for the post of chief justice. It then submits names to the president who then makes a selection.