UZ’s legal aid clinic debuts at agric show

Sunday Mail Reporter

A LEGAL aid clinic and flagship of the University of Zimbabwe, the Access to Justice Centre (AJC), debuted at this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) and made a big impression.

Lawyer and head of the research and innovation unit at AJC Mr Dzidziso Nyadzayo said the institution assists vulnerable and marginalised people on legal matters. “We are an outlet for the benefit of marginalised and vulnerable people, with a focus on access to justice issues.

“This is our inaugural exhibition at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, which is part of our community outreach campaign programme,” said Mr Nyadzayo.

“We have been assisting members of the general public from all walks of life with their legal matters and guiding aspiring lawyers who are interested in the law degree programme.”

The AJC, Mr Nyadzayo said, focuses on providing legal services that are socially relevant in Zimbabwe’s fast-industrialising economy.

“The aim of our campaign at ZAS 2024 is to be on the frontlines of interfacing directly with the public in order to address their specific concerns, and to also enhance our research efforts through smart partnerships and collaboration with State institutions and private stakeholders,” he said.

“The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education (Innovation, Science and Technology Development), Professor Amon Murwira, found, after the National Skills Audit that for law, we are sitting with a skills level of only 8 percent and a skills deficit of 92 percent.

“Because of this, the UZ’s Faculty of Law is emphasising cutting-edge legal research and training.”

The AJC director, Dr Rodgers Matsikidze, told The Sunday Mail that the institution was initially established as a small unit by law students during the colonial era.

It then grew into a fully fledged unit focusing on teaching clinical legal issues.

“It is the university’s law firm that deals with technical complex issues for the marginalised, families and children issues,” he said. “We also provide our services to prison inmates without access to legal representation. We also do public outreach programmes.”

Dr Matsikidze said the AJC has in the past done outreach programmes in areas such as Goromonzi, Epworth and Chitungwiza.