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From George Maponga in Masvingo
The newly-opened High Court in Masvingo will be manned by two resident judges in a development expected to reduce the runaway backlog of cases while improving the justice delivery system in the province and beyond.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) upgraded Masvingo Civil Court into a permanent High Court station that will cater for Masvingo Province and parts of Manicaland, Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces.
The new High Court was officially opened on Monday by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who also oversees the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Masvingo’s new High Court is the first to be opened in post-independent Zimbabwe, with the last one having been opened by colonial settlers in Bulawayo in 1894.
Harare and Bulawayo are the only other cities that house the High Court.
JSC secretary Justice Rita Makarau confirmed the development on Tuesday.
“There are two judges chambers at the new High Court in Masvingo, which means there will be two judges who will be permanently stationed there,’’ she said.
‘’The issue of when they are expected to start work will be handled by the JP (Judge President Justice George Chiweshe).
“At the moment, we are looking for accommodation for the two judges,’’ she said.
Justice Makarau also said the choice of the two judges would be handled by Justice Chiweshe.
Currently, the new High Court is hearing cases under the circuit court that will run for the next two weeks with Justice Joseph Musakwa presiding.
The new resident judges are expected to take over at the end of the circuit court provided their accommodation has been secured. The opening of the High Court station was hailed as a landmark development in the ongoing thrust to bring justice closer to the people.
Speaking at the opening of the court, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku said people from remote areas were abandoning their cases because of the challenges in accessing High Court services in Harare and Bulawayo.
He said the opening of the new High Court station in Masvingo would reduce the costs of travelling for litigants from remote areas.
Chief Justice Chidyausiku said the JSC would open the next High Court station in either Gweru or Mutare and lamented the shortage of buildings to house the new superior courts as a major drawback.
Online Reporter