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17 new magistrates sworn in to tackle case backlog
6 hrs ago |
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Seventeen new magistrates were sworn in on Wednesday in Harare as the judiciary intensifies efforts to ease mounting pressure on courts caused by a nationwide shortage of judicial officers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro Muchuchuti said the new intake - comprising 12 men and five women - will be deployed across the country to reinforce the bench under the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The move comes at a time when Zimbabwe's magistracy remains below optimal capacity, with approximately 268 magistrates currently serving against a required establishment of 300.
"We witnessed the swearing in of 17 magistrates; they will be deployed to various stations throughout the country, and indeed we continue to capacitate our courts in terms of recruiting more magistrates so that it can balance with the workload which is there," said Muchuchuti.
She highlighted that courts are facing a surge in cases, placing significant strain on existing personnel and slowing down the delivery of justice.
"We have realised that we are receiving a lot of work, so we are trying to match that work with the number of magistrates on the bench," she said.
Muchuchuti also revealed that another group of magistrates is already in the pipeline and will be deployed soon as part of ongoing efforts to address staffing shortages and attrition.
"We actually have another group of magistrates which are waiting to graduate in due time. We are doing these deliberate recruitments to strengthen the bench and also cover the brain drain which we have," she said.
"Some magistrates are leaving the bench, so we are trying to correct those imbalances to ensure that courts remain operational throughout the country."
The Chief Magistrate further noted that performance monitoring systems have been put in place, with each magistrate expected to complete at least 60 cases per month.
"We have several measurement tools to assess the work of the magistrate… we have daily, weekly and monthly reports," she said.
"We have a target - each magistrate should complete at least 60 cases a month. All those measuring tools are meant for us to see who is working and who is not."
The latest appointments form part of broader efforts by the JSC to improve efficiency in the justice delivery system and ensure timely handling of cases amid growing demand across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro Muchuchuti said the new intake - comprising 12 men and five women - will be deployed across the country to reinforce the bench under the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The move comes at a time when Zimbabwe's magistracy remains below optimal capacity, with approximately 268 magistrates currently serving against a required establishment of 300.
"We witnessed the swearing in of 17 magistrates; they will be deployed to various stations throughout the country, and indeed we continue to capacitate our courts in terms of recruiting more magistrates so that it can balance with the workload which is there," said Muchuchuti.
She highlighted that courts are facing a surge in cases, placing significant strain on existing personnel and slowing down the delivery of justice.
"We have realised that we are receiving a lot of work, so we are trying to match that work with the number of magistrates on the bench," she said.
Muchuchuti also revealed that another group of magistrates is already in the pipeline and will be deployed soon as part of ongoing efforts to address staffing shortages and attrition.
"We actually have another group of magistrates which are waiting to graduate in due time. We are doing these deliberate recruitments to strengthen the bench and also cover the brain drain which we have," she said.
"Some magistrates are leaving the bench, so we are trying to correct those imbalances to ensure that courts remain operational throughout the country."
The Chief Magistrate further noted that performance monitoring systems have been put in place, with each magistrate expected to complete at least 60 cases per month.
"We have several measurement tools to assess the work of the magistrate… we have daily, weekly and monthly reports," she said.
"We have a target - each magistrate should complete at least 60 cases a month. All those measuring tools are meant for us to see who is working and who is not."
The latest appointments form part of broader efforts by the JSC to improve efficiency in the justice delivery system and ensure timely handling of cases amid growing demand across the country.
Source - newsday
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