The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will over the next five years establish magistrates courts in every district countrywide while decentralising the High Court to provincial levels in a plan geared to improve citizens’ access to justice.
Speaking at the launch of the JSC five-year strategic plan, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the establishment of new and decentralisation of courts was in line with the National Development Strategy 1, which provides for the improvement of access to justice for all by 2030.
Minister Ziyambi said courts will be set up in rural communities, which have been served by judicial seats in urban areas since Independence.
President Mnangagwa launched the medium term strategic plan that will run from 2021-2025 last week.
“We are going to make sure that we set up courts in high-density suburbs and rural areas to improve access to justice,” said Minister Ziyambi.
“This is also part of a process to rehabilitate and improve our infrastructure so that it keeps up with international standards.”
According to the JSC, Zimbabwe currently has 18 regional and 33 provincial magistrates courts.
The JSC will jointly undertake the ambitious project with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
JSC secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha said the decentralisation programme was being prioritised under the strategic plan. “One of the key areas of the five-year strategic plan is access to justice,” said Mr Chikwanha.
“This is simply because of the country’s growing population and Government’s Vision 2030 under which we have been given the responsibility as JSC to ensure that we open up courts in the remotest parts of the country.”
Mr Chikwanha said the JSC will set up High Courts in each province.
“We are moving towards a direction where we would want to have courts opened in every district in the country, for example in Inyathi in Matabeleland North and Chimanimani in Manicaland.
“We are also moving in that direction where we should have courts in places like Highfield and Budiriro in Harare; places like Luveve in Bulawayo; Sakubva or Chikanga in Mutare. That is how we want to take justice to our communities and the people of Zimbabwe.
“It is unfortunate that since Independence we continue to have people travelling from high density suburbs to access the Harare Magistrates Court or Mbare Magistrates Court,” he said.
Mr Chikwanha applauded UNDP for providing financial and technical support for decentralising the justice delivery system.
Speaking at the launch of the strategic plan, President Mnangagwa said Government will avail resources to facilitate the decentralisation of the JSC as outlined in the plan.
“There is no going back on the development course we have charted,” said the President. “The rule of law will not be suffocated by incidences of corruption for narrow expediencies.
“My Government expects the judiciary, as the custodians of the administration of justice, the rule of law and constitutionalism, to take a prominent and leading role in that fight against corruption.”
In March, the JSC opened two specialised anti-corruption courts in Harare and Bulawayo.
Twelve magistrates were appointed to preside over corruption cases in the courts.
