The shortlisting was done yesterday when the SROC, chaired by the Speaker of House of Assembly, Mr Lovemore Moyo met at Parliament building.
In an interview soon after the meeting, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga confirmed the latest development.
"Interviews for the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission will be done next Monday September 28, while interviews for ZEC will be held on October 15, if that date is not suitable for one reason or the other, it will be held on October 12," said Minister Matinenga.
It has also emerged that Parliament does not have the sole prerogative to appoint the remaining independent commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, sources in the SROC have said.
The SROC was advised in its recent meetings that appointment of people in Anti-Corruption Commission was different from how people are appointed to sit in the Zimbabwe Media Commission, ZEC and Human Rights Commission.
Whereas the Constitution provides that President Mugabe appoints the people to sit on the three independent commissions from a list submitted to him by the SROC, the situation is slightly different with regards to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The Constitution provides that it is the President who appoints people on the Anti-Corruption "in consultation with SROC." Minister Matinenga said the SROC had noted that interpretation and would approach the Anti-Corruption Commission differently from other three commissions.
"Yes, the Anti-Corruption Commission provides for different procedures of appointment and we are still to revisit it, but for now, we will be dealing with ZEC and Human Rights Commission. There is consensus on the interpretation of the relevant section of the Constitution that it is the President who appoints, but in consultation with Parliament,"
said Minister Matinenga.
However, sources in the SROC, said yesterday there was a heated debate when the issue was initially brought to the attention of the SROC, as the Parliament organ thought that it had the powers to make appointments with respect to all the commissions.
Most MPs, including MP lawyers, were not aware of the provision, until it was brought to their attention in one of the meetings recently, said the source.
"Most MPs were surprised, they were caught unawares, they thought that it is the SROC who makes the identification of people and submit it to the President with respect to all independent commissions," said the source in the SROC.
The SROC has since identified members to sit on the Zimbabwe Media Commission and has since forwarded 12 names for consideration for appointment by the President.
At least six people have also been forwarded to the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity for people to be considered to sit on the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe. Controversy however surrounded the manner in which interviews for the
ZMC were held as they were allegations of bias and partisan being levelled against the committee of experts drawn by Parliament as well as the panel of MPs. Some people questioned the rational of allowing both the committee of experts and a panel of MPs participating during the interview.
