Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, a constitutional law expert and senior lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe’s Faculty of Law, told Human Rights Watch: Judges must not only be independent, but they must be seen to be independent; and as such, RBZ action erodes public confidence in the administration of justice and in the independence of the judiciary.50 The government’s practice of providing extra-legal “gifts” to judges has an impact beyond how it might affect the rulings of judges in individual cases. This deeply rooted corruption undermines public confidence in the judiciary, which as recently as a decade ago was one of the most respected in Africa. Restoring trust in the judiciary will by necessity be a long-term endeavor that will not be resolved merely by a change in government. 50 Human Rights Watch interview with Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, Harare, August 18, 2008. “Our Hands Are Tied” 18