Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE is set to host judges, magistrates and other judicial officers from around Africa next month to share best practices on elections during the African Electoral Justice Network (AEJN) platform.
The third edition of the AEJN conference to be held this month-end is part of the two important constitutional conferences that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is hosting this year.
AEJN is a regional forum that brings together judges and individuals who adjudicate electoral disputes in courts, tribunals and judicial election management bodies from across the African continent.
Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza said the discussions, engagements, brainstorming, and dialogue during the high-level event will be centred on the promotion, nurturing, strengthening and consolidation of democracy through effective judicial practices in electoral matters.
“One of the key objectives of the AEJN is to facilitate the engagement, participation, and exchange of judicial information relating to electoral dispute resolution, knowledge, experience and resources on emerging challenges to the integrity of elections,” she said.
“In essence, the symposium will provide an opportunity to further entrench constitutionalism, as judicial practice in this jurisdiction in electoral matters is based on observance of the constitutional values of the rule of law and due process,” said Justice Gwaunza while officially opening the 2024 legal year at the Bulawayo High Court on Monday.
“The exchange of ideas and experiences in electoral adjudication will serve to strengthen electoral justice, good governance, participatory democracy, transparency and accountability, all of which are the ideals of a democratic society.”
She said the second conference is the 7th Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa, the biggest gathering of constitutional courts in Africa, which Zimbabwe will host from October 30 to November 3 this year.
“The 7th Conference of the CCJA will run under the theme ‘Human Dignity as a Foundational Value and Principle: A Source of Constitutional Interpretation, Fundamental Human Rights Protection and Enforcement’ in Victoria Falls.
“Discussions at the conference will focus on constitutionalism and human dignity. It will extend an opportunity to all stakeholders in the administration of justice in Zimbabwe to particularly consider human dignity as a foundational value and principle and a cornerstone of constitutionalism,” said Justice Gwaunza.
“It is at that conference that Zimbabwe will assume the chairmanship of the conference, which is currently under the stewardship of Morocco.”
The Deputy Chief Justice said the two conferences will be a great way to celebrate a decade of the existence of the Zimbabwean Constitution and to entrench the doctrine of constitutionalism by the judiciary in the country.
Justice Gwaunza called on all members of the JSC to adequately prepare for the conferences to ensure a resounding success.
“It further calls upon Treasury, other Government agencies, the security sector and all like-minded stakeholders to join hands with the judiciary and support the hosting of these two events,” she said.
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