Chief Justice Luke Malaba swears in new Judge president Maria Zimba-Dube

Chief Justice Luke Malaba swears in new Judge president Maria Zimba-Dube

Embattled Chief Justice Luke Malaba has sworn in the new Judge President Maria Zimba-Dube who took the oath of office and expressed her gratitude to President Mnangagwa for showing confidence in appointing her to the top High Court office.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba conducted the swearing-in ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Harare that was attended by a few invited guests under strict Covid-19 regulations.

Six High Court judges, Justices Happias Zhou, Pisirayi Kwenda, Slyvia Chirawu-Mugomba, Webster Chinamora, Esther Muremba and Tawanda Chitapi as well as the ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo were among the invited guests which included the Judge President relatives.

Justice Zimba-Dube becomes the second woman to occupy the top High Court office after Justice Rita Makarau, who was first promoted to the Supreme Court and then, in May this year, was one of the first five judges appointed to the Constitutional Court.

She pledged to be a fair and exemplary leader.

A veteran lawyer and a judge of the High Court, Justice Zimba-Dube was appointed to the High Court bench in 2011 after serving as president of the Administrative Court since 2004.

On June 29, Justice Zimba-Dube was appointed Acting Judge President when the immediate past Judge President, Justice George Chiweshe was elated to the Supreme Court to fill one of the vacancies created when the Constitutional and Supreme Courts were split.

The battle for the CJ took an interesting twist when THE Constitutional Court indefinitely reserved its judgement that will determine Chief Justice, Luke Malaba’s fate.

Last May, President Mnangagwa extended Malaba’s contract by another five years following a constitutional amendment.

However, YLAZ, Kika and Mutanda made a High Court application challenging the decision and High Court Judges, Justices Happias Zhou, Edith Mushore and Jesta Charehwa ruled that the incumbent judges of the senior courts could not benefit from an amendment to the Constitution extending their term limits.

Ironically Justice Zhou who ruled against CJ Malaba’s term extension was amongst the 6 High Court Judges present at the new Judge President’s swearing in as an invited guest.