Sundaymail Editor
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
All the country’s provinces will have permanent seats of the High Court within the next nine years in line with Government’s drive to promote easy access to justice, it has been learnt.
Speaking during commissioning of the Chinhoyi Provincial Court building on Friday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said access to courts was a human right.
Last week, Mashonaland West became the fifth province to have a permanent High Court seat after Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.
“Access to justice is key to human right issues internationally and it is one of the strategic focus areas of my ministry to ensure that the citizens of this country are able to access the courts close to their homes and travel the shortest distances possible to the nearest courts,” he said.
“We acknowledge that we still have the presence of the High Court in five provinces in the country at this stage of our development.
“We are happy that the National Development Strategy1, which is instructive on the need to decentralise our courts, including the High Court, to all the provinces, will soon correct this anomaly.”
Minister Ziyambi said the country’s second-largest composite court will house the High Court, Master of the High Court, Magistrates Courts and Sheriff of the High Court.
“The Chinhoyi project was one of the projects that we had in our latest 100-day cycles initiative under the justice sector. Completion of the court within three years and using our own funds is really remarkable.
“I wish to encourage the Judicial Service Commission to keep moving with this expansion trajectory so that by 2030, we will have a High Court in every province of the country,” he said.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Marry Mliswa-Chikoka thanked President Mnangagwa for spearheading devolution.
“I am informed that this is the second-largest court in the country after Rotten Row Magistrates Court and we are happy that such a court is found in Mashonaland West Province.
“This is a milestone in our quest for devolution of developmental projects from the central Government to provincial authorities.
“We are eternally grateful for the work that the JSC has done and continues to do to ensure that the people of this province and beyond access quality justice in modern and ambient facilities,” she said.
JSC secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha said completion of the multimillion-dollar project was achieved through the supervision and coordination of officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the Chinese main contractor, Hao Long.
Construction of the building commenced in 2002 before stopping in 2008.
Work resumed in April 2018 after Government revived the project.
Online Reporter