FROM BOOZE TO JUSTICE . . . Mushando Bar to be turned into a court

 

Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter

IN a surprising and exciting transformation, Mushando Bar — a once thriving beerhall in the heart of Sakubva — is now being converted into the Sakubva Magistrates’ Court.

This innovative initiative by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeks to bring justice closer to the community, enhancing accessibility and convenience for the local residents.

Mushando Bar, in the OTS Section of Sakubva, was known for its bustling atmosphere and flowing ice cold beers, but gone are the days as it is now being repurposed to serve the justice system.

The bar, which ceased operating a few years back, briefly housed some families displaced by a clean-up campaign, and right now an independent college is utilising a small portion of the giant building.

The beerhall, which has been an entertainment hub for the community for decades, dating back to the Rhodesian era, had seen better days.

With the rise of modern entertainment options, it had become increasingly difficult for the entity to stay afloat.

However, instead of allowing the building to fall into a state of disrepair, and becoming a white elephant, the proprietor, Mutare City Council, have opted to breathe a new lease of life by leasing it to the JSC.

JSC spokesperson, Mr Daniel Nemukuyu, could not provide the exact dates when the building will be rehabilitated, and the proposed opening date by the time of going to print as he was seeking clarifications from his superiors. However, in an interview a month ago, he said the Sakubva Magistrates’ Court is part of the JSC’s decentralisation trajectory for citizens to have access to justice.

“Plans are already underway to establish a permanent court in Sakubva so as to decongest Mutare Magistrates’ Court, while at the same time reducing the distance travelled by litigants to access justice.

“The Judicial Service Commission is on a massive decentralisation drive that has seen almost every district in Zimbabwe having at least one magistrates’ court. This brings justice to the people and everyone will have access to justice. We have also decentralised the High Court. Before 2016, we only had two permanent High Court stations, one in Harare and the other one in Bulawayo,” he said then.

Persistent efforts to get finer details from the local authority drew blanks as the council spokesperson Mr Charles Sadondo kept promising to come back to this reporter, claiming to be out of office.

However, in a legal notice flighted in the Press, Mutare City Council said they are intending to lease the facility to the JSC for the establishment of a court.

“Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 152 of the Urban Councils Act Chapter 29.15 that council intends to lease Mushando Bar in Sakubva to the Judicial Service Commission for the purpose of establishing a Magistrate’s Court Complex.

“The conditions are available for scrutiny at the Town Clerk’s Registry, Office 24 at Civic Centre, Mutare. Any persons wishing to make objections can lodge the same with the undersigned within 21 days from the date of this publication,” reads the notice.

United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (UMRRT) executive director, Mr Edison Dube said the move is welcome as it will bring justice right where the people are.

 

He called upon other major service providers, both State and non-State to follow suit.

“In the spirit of decentralisation, we see progress by the establishment of a court in Sakubva. We have been clamouring for the decentralisation of services by both local authorities and Government. This is a step in the right direction. Courts must be accessible to every citizen, and it should not be a huge task to access justice.

“People must not miss courts because of the distance or costs of travelling. People should easily walk to seek justice and redress. Peace and justice will be enhanced to prevail in our city. This is a very positive development and we need to see more of this for all the other services,” said Mr Dube.

Residents of Sakubva, who spoke to The Manica Post, said the court was long overdue as the area has very high crime rates, especially cases like robbery, mugging, domestic violence and theft, among others.

They also said a court to them is a viable option compared to reviving the bar which has outlived its purpose.

“We fully support the idea of turning Mushando Bar into a magistrates’ court. Sakubva is experiencing a lot of criminal cases, which should be expeditiously dealt with so that people have confidence with the justice system. Cases that are prevalent here include robberies and thefts; so the coming of the court will help in reducing crimes,” said Mr Simba Fore.

Ms Marian Chiwenga said the Mushando Bar area had turned into a nightmare, notorious for muggings.

“The conversion of this bar into a court is a welcome development for us. This area, due to neglect, had become a dark spot where people were being robbed often. There are high cases of drug abuse here, and we hope the coming of the court will help in addressing a lot of these criminal cases,” she said.