Massive staff turnover hits Zimbabwe's National Prosecuting Authority

THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has lost more than half the prosecutors recruited since last year, a development that threatens the efficiency of the justice delivery system.

Acting Deputy Prosecutor-General Mr Michael Reza told the inaugural Magistrates' National Conference held recently in Victoria Falls that 28 of the 46 prosecutors recruited since mid-last year had left the NPA.

"In the discharge of our duties, we have encountered some challenges that somehow militate against the effective execution of our mandate, which are identifiably the issues of high staff turnover and some notorious legal impediments that we have experienced in our daily operations as prosecutors," he said.

"As regards resignations, we continue to lose seasoned prosecutors at a high rate despite our best efforts to replace those that would have resigned in search of the so-called greener pastures.

"In the second half of the year 2022, we recruited 46 prosecutors and to this date, 28 have resigned.

"Some even send their resignations from other jurisdictions."

The NPA, which typically spends years moulding "top-notch" prosecutors, has since approached Treasury for assistance.

"As we strive to achieve quality justice, every effort should be made to retain experienced prosecutors, and we are doing our best in that regard, as both feet — that is, the bar (prosecutors) and the bench (magistrates) — need to be anchored in legal wisdom and sound knowledge of the law.

"Thus, we have forwarded our concerns to Treasury and we are grateful for the support they have given us to date," he added.

He welcomed Government's efforts to improve prosecutors' conditions of service, while proposing reforms to improve the NPA's efficiency.

"I wish to salute those who continue to serve with dedication and commitment to duty despite some financial constraints that they may be encountering," he said.

"This is patriotism par excellence.

"With regard to legal challenges, we have made a set of proposals for the amendments to an assortment of legislation that, in our view, would greatly improve our efficiency and effectiveness in the prosecution and timeous delivery of criminal justice."

The NPA, Mr Reza said, was grateful for the decentralisation of courts, saying this will help reduce case backlogs and unclog the courts. President Mnangagwa officially opened the Epworth Magistrates' Court in Harare recently.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judicial Service Commission Secretary Mr Walter Chikwana, High Court judges and other stakeholders attended the conference.