adminNorman Muchemwa and Ellen Sanyanga
The deputy chairperson of the Zimbabwe Law Development Commission and law reviser, Mr Joel Bigboy Zowa, who passed away two weeks ago has been described as a loyal and dedicated legal practitioner.
Mr Zowa passed away on July, 12 in New York, USA, while on national duty and was accorded a State-assisted funeral.
During a funeral service held at the University of Zimbabwe’s New Diamond Hall, speaker after speaker described the late top lawyer as a patriot who was ready to serve his country with distinction in every assignment.
Mr Zowa served the country in various capacities from the 1970’s until his untimely death.
He served as a commissioner on the Constitutional Commission under the late Chief Justice Chidyausiku and was a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, becoming the Dean of Faculty of Law at some point.
He was appointed deputy chairperson of the Law and Development Commission and subsequent law reviser, a position he held for the past 17 years until his sudden departure.
Addressing mourners during the funeral service, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi, said: “First, as a dedicated public servant and an official of the Ministry of Justice for 17 years, he was the face behind the Law Development Commission.”
“An innovator of our time, the architect of the Statues and Case Law digital libraries or repositories respectively, he transformed the concept of access to justice through the repositories, so that members of the public could access Statues and Case Law free of charge in one place, a sort of one-stop shop.
“All one had to do and still can do is approach the Law Development Commission with a flash drive or a laptop to install on their devices these repositories every year with the latest version of revised statues and case laws,” added Minister Ziyambi.
Mr Zowa, he said, was also part of the technical committee responsible for drafting Sadc legislation or treaties, such as the Protocol on Extraditions.
Mr Zowa also acted as Attorney-General of Zimbabwe on several occasions.
The former Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, who recommended Mr Zowa for appointment to the position he held, described him as a fine gem.
He described him as a rare breed who was dedicated to his country and a true patriot.
Mr Zowa, Cde Chinamasa said, was his legal advisor during the land reform programme where he defended Government’s position with distinction.
He added that most of the public speeches he was credited to was all the works of Mr Zowa.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba also described Mr Zowa as a dedicated person who could give his all to improve the justice delivery system in the country, while the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, defined him as a dedicated civil servant.
Mr Zowa was buried Thursday afternoon at Glen Forest Memorial Park.
Dr Sibanda laid wreaths on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies.
The funeral proceedings were also attended by the Law Society of Zimbabwe president Mr Thandazane Masiye Moyo, Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbira Hodzi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Virginia Mabhiza and the Judge President, Justice George Chiweshe, among other top law officers in the country.
Online Reporter