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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku yesterday swore in former chief immigration officer Mr Elasto Mugwadi as the new Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chairperson.
Mr Mugwadi replaced Mr Jacob Mudenda, who is now speaker of the National Assembly.
The Chief Justice also swore in eight new commissioners of the Judicial Services Commission in compliance with the new Constitution that now requires the appointment of 13 commissioners, up from the six who used to run it.
Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judge President George Chiweshe, High Court judge Justice Happias Zhou, chief magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe, Law Society of Zimbabwe president Mr Lloyd Mhishi, accountant Mrs Priscilla Mutembwi and two other lawyers — Mrs Priscilla Madzonga and Mr Josphat Tshuma — were appointed JSC commissioners.
Five more are yet to be sworn in including the Attorney-General (who is not yet named) and selected law lecturers from one of the universities that train lawyers.
The nine took oaths of loyalty and vowed to serve the nation diligently without fear or favour.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, his Deputy Fortune Chasi, Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana, judges of the High Court, Supreme Court, Labour Court and Administrative Court also attended the colourful ceremony at the new Supreme Court at Mashonganyika Building in Harare.
Speaking after the ceremony, the new ZHRC chairperson Mr Mugwadi said he was ready to operationalise the commission that had been dormant for years.
“Now that we have separate funding and the Human Rights Commission Act is now in place, my top priority is to operationalise the commission. “We also need to first align the Act with the new Constitution before we start operations,” he said. Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba said the JSC was an important functionary institution in the judiciary.
“It is the supreme decision-making body in so far as the administrative affairs of the judiciary are concerned.
“It does set the direction in so far as policy is concerned. It is a body to which all the members of the JSC look up to, for decision.
“That is important when it comes to their conditions of service,” said Justice Malaba.
He also lauded the composition of the body, which is made up of people of high integrity and professionalism.
“I am happy to be a member.
“As the deputy CJ, I am looking forward to having time to serve in the commission,” he said.
Chief Magistrate Mr Guvamombe said his appointment was an opportunity to contribute towards improving the Justice system. “I feel honoured to be part of the process of improving the justice delivery system in Zimbabwe.
“It is an opportunity for me to make a contribution towards improving efficiency in the justice system,” he said.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe president Mr Lloyd Mhishi said: “We see it as the implementation of the new Constitution.
“As the Law Society of Zimbabwe we are happy that the process is giving function to the requirements of the new constitution.
“This body is important to us lawyers in the sense that one of the functions of the JSC is to promote the independence of the judiciary and to tender advice to the Government on matters relating to the Judiciary in terms of Section 190 of the Constitution.
“It is really good that the commissioners have been sworn in. We hope it will now form and give effect to the aspirations of the country’s new supreme law.”
Online Reporter