The Judicial Service Commission has appointed 35 judges of the Electoral Court Division of the High Court and 76 magistrates across the country to deal with politically motivated disputes and violence.
The appointed judges and magistrates will be operating in all 10 provinces over the next six months in line with the country’s electoral laws to ensure rapid trial for political violence.
The announcement was made yesterday by the JSC chairperson and Chief Justice Luke Malaba in a Statutory Instrument (SI) of an extraordinary Government Gazette.
Malaba appointed the 35 judges after consultations with the Judicial Service Commission and the Judge President of the High Court.
The judges will be available to the division till December 31, 2023.
The appointment of the magistrates was: “to try cases of politically motivated violence and intimidation in the provinces under which their names appear before, during and after the harmonised elections for President, Members of the National Assembly and councillors scheduled to take place on August 23,” partly reads the SI.
Legal analyst Advocate Choice Damiso told The Herald that the development will help foster fairness and credibility during the upcoming general elections.
“This is a legal requirement which is meant to safeguard the integrity of elections and it is a good move,” Damiso lauded the move.
“This is just but one of several other requirements to ensure a free and fair election like protection of women and vulnerable people from violence,” she added.
Parliament’s Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio committee chairperson, Misheck Mataranyika, who is also a legal practitioner, told the state owned paper that the appointments were a clear indication of the country’s desire to have peaceful polls.
“Who else is better qualified to handle electoral disputes than judges.
“So this is a progressive move that will ensure electoral disputes are handled expeditiously,” said Mataranyika
Meanwhile, the country is now gearing up for the general elections scheduled for August 23.
President Emmerson Mangagwa set October 2, 2023 as the day for run-off election, should there be no outright winner in the presidential election.
