Plans to open Mutare High Court get thumbs up Justice Makarau
Justice Makarau

Justice Makarau

Hugh Gombakomba Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has welcomed the Judicial Services Commission’s plans to establish a permanent High Court in Mutare, saying the opening of the court will increase access to justice.

This comes after JSC secretary Justice Rita Makarau’s recent announcement that plans to establish Mutare High Court were at an advanced stage, with the commission anticipating to complete the process in the next six months.

In a statement, ZLHR said a High Court in Mutare is a positive development that will enhance access to justice by the general citizenry.

“ZLHR is encouraged by the JSC’s efforts to decentralise the High Court in Manicaland.

“This will go a long way in facilitating access to justice for people in Mutare and surrounding areas who travel long distances to access services of the High Court currently located in Harare, Bulawayo and more recently in Masvingo,” reads the statement.

The Herald recently reported that Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku and Judge President George Chiweshe were working flat out to ensure the deployment of judges for the newly established permanent High Court for Masvingo by September 13 this year.

“This development is particularly compelling in this harsh economic environment as this will alleviate high costs incurred by potential litigants, witnesses as well as other players interacting with the justice system at this level,” reads the ZLHR statement.

ZLHR said the new court will contribute to improving the efficiency of the justice system as a whole as there is substantial pressure on the limited permanent High Court facilities.

It said it hoped that, in the long term, the development will translate into efficiency of the justice delivery system, which has a considerable backlog of cases.

“The establishment of additional permanent High Courts — in Mutare and Masvingo — is in line with the Government of Zimbabwe’s commitment to take all appropriate administrative measures to bring justice for the people made during the 2011 United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Mechanism,” the statement reads.

ZLHR encouraged stakeholders to offer necessary and relevant support for a functional and effective Mutare High Court as this will boost public confidence in the justice delivery system.

“People living within the jurisdiction of this court are also urged to fully utilise its facilities for the protection of their social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, provided in the 2013 Constitution,” ZLHR said.

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