Call to construct more courts

Ashley Mujoma

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) secretary, Walter Chikwana, has said there is a need to construct more courts in different areas to decongest the current available courts.

He made the call yesterday during a building tour of an Epworth Magistrates’ Court, which is almost complete.

The new court complex is set to be officially opened before the end of this month.

Chikwana said constructing more courts is the main key to promoting justice for everyone in the country.

“We are here to check if everything is in order so that we meet our target as we expect to open this court before the end of next month.

“Building more courts is the way to go in terms of decongesting the available courts by decentralising our courts from main cities to townships.

“If we take a look at the situation right now, people are travelling long distances to access justice. For example, people from Mahuhwe have to travel 100km to Guruve, which is the nearest court. People in Chikombedzi also have to travel 100km to Chiredzi to access justice,” he said.

Chikwana said the JSC had been engaging the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to acquire land for the construction of courts countrywide.

“We are taking the courts to the people so that people can access justice without travelling long distances. We have been talking to responsible authorities so that we can have access to land and dilapidated buildings to renovate and construct more courts,” he said.