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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Courts Reporter
Justice Rita Makarau has resigned from her post as acting secretary of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and reverted to the Supreme Court bench. In a statement yesterday, the JSC said it accepted Justice Makarau’s resignation.

The deputy secretary Walter Chikwana will be acting secretary with immediate effect, until further notice.

The rest of the JSC secretariat remains unchanged until further notice.

“The JSC wishes to advise the public and all stakeholders that the honourable Mrs Justice Rita Makarau requested to step down as acting secretary of the commission and to return to the Supreme Court bench.

“At its meeting of February 8, 2018, the Commission resolved to accept Justice Makarau’s request to step down as acting secretary and allow her to resume her duties as judge of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court with effect from Monday February 12, 2018,” reads the statement.

“The chairperson and the commissioners wish to extend their appreciation to Justice Makarau for the contribution she made towards the good administration of the commission from its inception until now,” reads the statement.

Justice Makarau on December 9 last year, again stepped down from her position as Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson.

She was doubling as JSC Acting Secretary and ZEC chairperson.

Justice Makarau was the first female Judge President of Zimbabwe.

Between 1983 and 1984, Justice Makarau worked as a Public Prosecutor at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts before going into private practice.

During her private practice years, she worked for Kantor and Immerman legal practitioners.

She had her first case at the age of 24. From 1988 to 1989 Justice Makarau was the Secretary for Legal Affairs at the Parastatal Commission.

From 1998 to 2000 she served in the Constitutional Commission before she was appointed High Court Judge in December 2000.

In 2006, she assumed the position of Judge President becoming the first female to assume the role.

In May 2010, she was appointed a Supreme Court Judge.

Justice Makarau was a part-time lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe.