Online Reporter
Mashudu Netsianda, Deputy National Editor
ALL is set for the official opening of the 2026 legal year today, with Chief Justice Luke Malaba expected to preside over the main ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Harare, where he will also launch the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s 2026-2030 strategic plan.
Parallel ceremonies will take place at various High Court stations across the country, with Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza presiding over proceedings in Bulawayo.
At other centres, Constitutional and Supreme Court judges Justices Anne Mari Gowora and Bharat Patel will officiate at the Mutare and Chinhoyi High Courts, respectively, while Justice Paddington Garwe, who also sits on the Constitutional and Supreme Court, will preside over the ceremony at the Masvingo High Court.
The opening of the legal year is an annual institutional event that marks the resumption of judicial business following the courts’ vacation and formally ushers in the judicial calendar for the Superior Courts and the broader justice delivery system.
In an interview yesterday, JSC spokesperson Mr Daniel Nemukuyu said this year’s event is being held under the theme: “Using performance management and technology to ensure quality, inclusive and sustainable judicial service.”
“We invite the public and the media to join us in marking this significant occasion in the judiciary calendar. The Chief Justice will also launch the JSC’s 2026-2030 strategic plan shortly after the opening ceremony,” he said.
Mr Nemukuyu said the ceremony also provides a platform for the head of the judiciary to account for the courts’ performance over the preceding year.
He said as part of his keynote address, the Chief Justice will outline key achievements, challenges and measures taken to address them.
“The event provides an opportunity for the head of the judiciary to present an overview of the courts’ performance during the preceding year. As fundamental elements of his keynote address, the Chief Justice also indicates achievements, operational constrains statistical trends in court backlogs and measures taken to curb challenges,” said Mr Nemukuyu.
Last year’s opening of the legal year was hosted in Bulawayo, marking the first time the main ceremony was held outside Harare, in line with the Second Republic’s policy of decentralising national events.
Today’s event is expected to bring together judges, magistrates, legal practitioners, representatives of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, traditional leaders and other key stakeholders in the justice sector.
Ahead of the ceremony, officers from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police conducted security drills on Saturday as part of final preparations.
