By A Correspondent- The weekend High Court anti-Malaba judgement has exposed power struggles between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga.

High Court Judges, Justices Happius Zhou, Edith Mushore and Jesta Charehwa at the weekend ruled that incumbent judges of the senior courts could not benefit from an amendment to the Constitution extending their term limits.

The ruling had the effect of retiring Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice, Luke Malaba, who turned 70 — the legal retirement age — at midnight Saturday.

The court ruled that the amendment needs to be put to a public referendum and automatically reversed the reappointment last week of Chief Justice Luke Malaba by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In a statement last night, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said Government would exercise its right to appeal the ruling and at the same time questioning why lawyers who brought the action against Malaba’s appointment cited as respondents, all the judges except Judge President George Chiweshe who is believed to be an ally to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

Chiwenga is seen as harbouring Presidential ambitions at a time Mnangagwa has pulled all the stops to try and consolidate his rule.“We have taken note of the decision made by the court, and as a country that respects the rule of law, we will respect that decision, but you must also know that as litigants, we have our rights which are protected by the law.