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Daniel Nemukuyu recently in VICTORIA FALLS
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has hailed the cordial relations between the judiciary and the Law Society of Zimbabwe, saying it has greatly contributed to the improvement in the country’s quality of justice. Speaking at a cocktail held by the Sadc Lawyers’ Association on Thursday evening ahead of the regional association’s 14th annual general conference in Victoria Falls, the head of the Zimbabwean judiciary said LSZ, led by Mr Lloyd Mhishi, was working hand-in-glove with the judiciary.

He said the relationship had helped in developing a fully independent judiciary.
“I can confidently state that the relationship between the Law Society of Zimbabwe and the judiciary is currently what we have always yearned and hoped for.
“This healthy and mutually beneficial relationship has not foisted upon us by any authority, but has been born out of the joint realisation that we will strive for the same ideal, that is of an efficient justice delivery system in our country,” he said.

Chief Justice Chidyausiku said the new Constitution had cemented the relations as it requires LSZ members and the judiciary co-exist as commissioners in the Judicial Service Commission which he said was the way forward.

“The newly enacted Constitution of Zimbabwe has created further opportunity for the deepening of the relationship between the Law Society and the judiciary by making both sides contribute the majority of the members of the Judicial Service Commission.

“It is the work of this commission that has radically transformed the landscape of justice delivery in Zimbabwe to a point where we can say we are independent to run our own administration as the judiciary and subject to availability of funding, we are to a large extent the authors of our own places in history,” he said.

The Chief Justice said the maiden public interviews conducted by JSC for the appointment of Supreme Court judges was one of the fruits of the combined Commission in its endeavour to achieve transparency and rule of law.

“In the Zimbabwean context, we have begun an experiment to entrench transparency in the appointment of judges.
“Interviews of prospective candidates for the Supreme Court were for the first time done in public and these have elicited mixed reactions.
“I am not sure whether or not this is a welcome development, only time will tell,” he said.

Sadc Lawyers’ Association was formed in Maputo in 1999 and has been holding AGMs ever since.
This year was Zimbabwe’s turn to host the big event and at least 400 lawyers from different countries in the region are gathered in the resort town for the deliberations and to chart the way forward.