Chronicle Editor
Locadia Mavhudzi, Midlands Correspondent
The Midlands State University (MSU) yesterday opened a legal aid clinic at its Faculty of Law institute, in a move aimed at improving access to justice for disadvantaged members of society such as women and children.
The move is also expected to improve legal representation which stands at 11 percent in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the official launch of the legal aid clinic which was funded by the European Union (EU) in partnership with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), MSU executive dean of studies in the Faculty of Law, Dr Gift Manyatera, said the legal clinic is an opportunity for lawyers in training to interface with the practical legal challenges in society and provide workable solutions.
“We are fully cognisant that community engagement is what universities should be for and in order to make a positive impact we must remain relevant to our communities. As MSU, we hail the collaboration with EU and ICJ on this very important project which will improve access to justice by our communities and also sharpen our students’ legal skills. We are aware that sustainable development cannot be achieved without justice. It is therefore important to work towards promoting the rule of law for the benefit of our people. True to our vision, MSU will remain a stakeholder-driven institution which is responsive to their needs and aspirations,” he said.
Dr Manyatera said the EU/ICJ legal aid clinic project bears testimony to the value MSU gives to collaborations, partnerships and community engagement.
“Our MSU strategic plan for 2019-2030 compels us to seek value adding networks, collaborations, partnerships and linkages at national, regional and international levels,” he said.
Dr Manyatera paid tribute to ICJ for funding the moot court competitions at local, regional and international scales where MSU students participated and performed exceptionally well in presenting and representing legal matters.
“Our students demonstrated exceptional advocacy skills, extensive knowledge of human rights law and its application at continental competitions, which brings together law schools from across Africa,” he said.
Head of the EU delegation to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Timo Olkkonen said the MSU legal aid initiative is in line with the strategic objective of the EU development cooperation with Zimbabwe on governance and institutional building where 14 million Euros was allocated for the support of rule of law and access to justice for all programmes.
“We commend the University for harnessing the potential of the enthusiastic and eager to learn law students with support of their lecturers to provide access to justice for the marginalised. The provision of such legal services here will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 16,” he said.
Meanwhile, ICJ legal advisor Dr Justice Alfred Mavedzenge said improving access to justice is a fundamental tenet of the rule of law which is a bedrock principle in the Zimbabwean constitution hence the organization will continue to support critical areas of legal studies across the world.
“We are supporting three universities which offer law studies and these include Great Zimbabwe University and Ezekiel Guti University. We will soon be launching the inaugural human rights and rule of law moot court competitions in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Access to justice has become costly for the people of Zimbabwe as a result of the prevailing economic conditions hence it has impacted negatively on the protection of constitutional rights such as children’s rights, political rights and the right to a fair trial among a host of human rights.”
The Faculty of Law at MSU- the first law school to be successfully established in post independent Zimbabwe- was established in 2005 and was then designated by the council of legal education on March 7, 2007.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo