In this week's post, Nqobani Nyathi examines Zimbabwe's newly enacted Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, which abolishes public interviews for judicial appointments. He argues that vesting the President with the sole appointment power after mere consultation with the Judicial Service Commission expands executive discretion at precisely the point where the 2013 Constitution sought to constrain it, marking the culmination of a decade-long pattern of amendments that have progressively weakened judicial independence in Zimbabwe.

In this post, Joshua Malidzo Nyawa reflects on the judicial appointment of Honourable Martha Koome as Kenya’s first woman Chief Justice. He further highlights the history of institutionalised patriarchy within the judiciary, arguing that Koome’s appointment marks a powerful moment of constitutional symbolism and meaningful commitment to gender equality, with lessons that extend beyond Kenya.