Judges interviews dates set

Fidelis Munyoro-Chief Court Reporter

The long-awaited public interviews of candidates nominated to fill nine vacant positions of judges to the High Court will be conducted next week, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has said. 

At least 35 candidates have been shortlisted for the interviews, which were supposed to be held last month but were deferred because of the spike in Covid-19 infections and the Government’s call for all institutions to further downsize operations. 

In a statement, the JSC said the interviews would be held from Monday to Wednesday next week in Harare, but under strict Covid-19 control regulations. The public cannot attend in person but can watch the interviews as they will be streamed live and broadcast live by ZBC. 

“To ensure compliance with the requirement to hold the interviews in public the proceedings will be streamed live on Judicial Service Commission social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook). The Judicial Service Commission has engaged the national broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, to have the interview proceedings beamed live.” 

Last month the commission sought nominations from the public and President in terms of the Constitution. 

The 35 nominees are regional magistrates, the top end of the magistrates’ courts, or experienced lawyers. 

While a recent amendment to the Constitution allows promotion of judges from the High Court to the Supreme and Constitutional Courts without further public interviews, these are still required for entry to the bench. 

After the interviews and other checks, the JSC submits its recommended list to the President, who may assent to the names or ask the JSC to submit a fresh set of names. 

Under the Constitution, a person is qualified for appointment as a judge of the High Court if they are at least 40 years old, been qualified for a minimum of 10 years as a legal practitioner in Zimbabwe or any country with the same common law as in Zimbabwe, or in a country which the common law is Roman-Dutch or English. 

English should be an officially recognised language for practice wherever the prospective judge was previously working as a lawyer.