HARARE
–
Chief
Justice
Luke
Malaba
has
ordered
all
judges
to
undergo
training
by
Zanu
PF’s
Herbert
Chitepo
School
of
Ideology
in
a
new
low
for
the
judiciary.
The
training,
set
to
be
held
on
July
4
and
5,
will
also
see
judges
sit
through
sessions
by
the
Central
Intelligence
Organisation
boss
Fulton
Mangwanya
and
the
chief
secretary
to
the
president
and
cabinet
Martin
Rushwaya,
according
to
a
programme
seen
by
ZimLive.
“This
desecration
of
constitutional
values
concerns
us
and
quite
frankly,
I
and
some
colleagues
I
spoke
to
feel
violated,”
a
judge
who
requested
not
to
be
named
said.
“The
independence
of
the
judiciary
is
a
cornerstone
of
our
democratic
system.
It
is
imperative
that
judges
and
judicial
officers
operate
free
from
any
political
influence
to
ensure
the
fair
and
impartial
administration
of
justice.”
Letters
sent
to
judges
state
that
the
training
has
been
organised
by
the
Office
of
the
President
to
familiarise
judges
with
the
“Integrated
Results
Based
Management
System
(IRBM)
relating
to
the
performance
evaluation
of
judges.”
The
judge
asked
rhetorically:
“What
is
performance
evaluation
of
judges
by
the
government?
“Training
programmes
that
are
linked
to
the
deep
state
and
to
political
entities
risk
compromising
our
independence
and
could
lead
to
perceptions
of
bias,
thereby
undermining
public
confidence
in
our
judicial
system.
“We
believe
that
training
for
the
judiciary
should
be
conducted
by
qualified,
non-partisan
professionals
who
are
committed
to
upholding
the
rule
of
law
and
the
principles
of
justice.
The
JSC
must
consider
alternative
arrangements
that
prioritise
the
integrity
and
impartiality
of
our
judicial
training.”
Judges
will
also
sit
through
a
presentation
by
finance
secretary
George
Guvamatanga
who
will
present
“an
overview
of
the
economic
outlook
for
the
remainder
of
2025
and
beyond”
and
Charles
Mujajati,
a
director
in
the
finance
ministry
who
will
speak
about
“achievements
and
challenges
under
National
Development
Strategy
1
and
National
Development
Strategy
2
road
map.”
The
judges
feel
they
are
being
subjected
to
political
propaganda,
and
are
despondent
over
Malaba’s
inaction
or
collusion
in
the
assault
on
judicial
independence.
Ishmael
Mada,
the
principal
of
the
Herbert
Chitepo
School
of
Ideology,
was
appointed
by
Zanu
PF
succeeding
Munyaradzi
Machacha,
now
the
party’s
secretary
for
the
commissariat.
Mada
will
be
addressing
the
judges.
Machacha
told
the
state-run
Sunday
Mail
in
2022
that
the
institution
was
a
“party
school
for
Zanu
PF
to
instil
“ideological
consciousness”
and
“national
orientation”
in
the
party
membership.
Said
the
judge:
“As
judges
we
are
deeply
disappointed
in
the
Chief
Justice’s
actions,
which
undermine
judicial
independence.
As
the
guardian
of
our
constitutional
framework,
he
has
a
critical
role
in
upholding
the
integrity
of
the
judiciary.
Instead,
his
actions
have
eroded
trust
and
compromised
the
institution’s
credibility.
“He
is
front
and
centre
of
these
crass
violations.
It’s
particularly
concerning
that
this
is
happening
in
his
final
months
in
office.
He
wants
to
leave
behind
a
judiciary
that’s
vulnerable
and
that
lacks
public
confidence.
This
shall
forever
define
his
legacy.”
Malaba
had
been
due
to
step
down
as
Chief
Justice
on
May
15,
2021,
when
he
reached
the
age
of
70
but
the
government
introduced
controversial
constitutional
amendments
to
extend
his
term,
despite
a
High
Court
ruling
that
the
change
of
term
limits
could
not
benefit
an
incumbent.
Malaba
had
the
High
Court
judgement
overturned
by
the
Constitutional
Court,
which
he
heads,
after
judges
refused
to
recuse
themselves.
Malaba
must
step
down
by
May
2026
beyond
which
his
term
cannot
be
extended.