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Speech by the Honourable Mr Justice G. M. Chiweshe, Judge President
of the High Court of Zimbabwe at the opening of the 2012 legal year,
Bulawayo, 9 January 2012
Justice G. M. Chiweshe
January 09, 2012
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Introduction
It is the time-honoured
tradition of the High Court of Zimbabwe to make a statement on the
occasion of the opening of the legal year. It is at this time that
the judiciary takes time to review its work during the past year,
positions itself for the current year and projects its dreams for
the coming years. In so doing, the judiciary will be giving out
indicators of its relevance to the society that it serves and giving
the nation an opportunity to also measure the efficiency of the
justice delivery system.
Today we gather once
again to mark the opening of the legal year 2012. The tradition
has been on such occasions to focus in the main on the operations
and activities of superior courts. This year I have seen it prudent
to have a slightly different slant by highlighting some major activities
carried out by the Judicial Service Commission during the year 2011.
My reasons for so doing are obvious because unlike in the past,
we in the judiciary now fall under one administrative authority,
the Judicial Service Commission, chaired by the Chief Justice and
supported by a secretariat.
Judicial
Service Commission
Most of you
are aware that the Judicial
Service Act was brought into operation on 18 June 2010, but
what may not be common knowledge is that it was not until January
2011 that the judiciary, through the Judicial Service Commission
gained control of its funds. Prior to that, the budget fell under
the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs whose priorities did not
always coincide with those in judiciary.
I am glad to report that
in the short period that the Judicial Service Commission has had
control of the judiciary's budget we have witnessed a marked
improvement in our operations. The control of our budget has enabled
us to set our own priorities in terms of what activities we believe
will enhance our operations, and, ultimately have a positive impact
on justice delivery. For example, the supply of basics such as stationery
and office provisions has dramatically improved. Magisterial circuit
that had been abandoned due to unavailability of vehicles and fuel
have now been resuscitated. In the year under review, in addition
to working on improving court operations, the Judicial Service Commission
also worked on other important projects aimed at bringing into being
a more efficient and accountable judiciary. Three such projects
come to mind, namely, (a) the development of a five-year strategic
plan, (b) the adoption of an appropriate organizational structure
for the Judicial Service Commission Secretariat (c) the finalization
of a written code of ethics for Judges and Presidents of the special
courts.
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