Maputo, 29 Apr (AIM) – The Mozambican Association of Judges (AMJ) has expressed its discontent at the lack of consideration given to its demands by various government institutions and is threatening to resort to other bodies.
According to a statement from the AMJ Ordinary General Assembly held on Saturday, in Maputo, “one of the main aspects of the meeting’s agenda was related to the state of judges’ rights, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique, the Statutes of Judicial Magistrates and other legislation.”
AMJ Chairperson. Esmeraldo Matavele, speaking at a Maputo press conference, claimed that the government is systematically ignoring many of the AMJ’s concerns, worsening the condition of judges, especially since the entry into force of the Single Wage Table (TSU) in the public administration.
“In addition to unanswered requests for an audience, the AMJ has been presenting its concerns in writing since October 2023 to His Excellency the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of State Administration and Civil Service and the Justice Ministry”, said the document read out by Matavele.
According to the note, of the concerns raised, the government, through the Ministry of Economy, has limited itself to correcting only minor irregularities, leaving the central issues without any solution.
The AMJ believes that, essentially, the whole problem surrounding judges’ rights is linked to the lack of financial independence of the judiciary, placing the judiciary in a subordinate position in relation to the legislative and executive powers.
Considering that all ongoing endeavors have been unsuccessful, “the AMJ decided to move on to another stage in the fight for their rights.”
To this end, AMJ has decided that “In the next few days, it will send to the competent bodies of state, especially the Assembly of the Republic (the Mozambican Parliament), and the government, a set of demands for the fulfillment of the constitutional and statutory rights that have been violated, within a specific timeframe”
The AMJ warns that if the situation remains unchanged, the AMJ will decide to take and implement subsequent strong measures.
“The time has come for the State to grant definitive financial independence to the courts”, stressed Matavele. “The budget for the courts should not continue to depend on the government and on the Assembly of the Republic”.
“The courts should not go begging to the government for their budget”, it added, “they should not beg for money to pay wages, to build infrastructures, or to buy the vehicles required for case work”.
“Judges are resistant and they know their mission”, said Matavele. “But they are people, they are human beings, and they need conditions so that they can work free from outside pressure”.
Some judges had no personal security, he added, which made them extremely vulnerable.
(AIM)
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