The Chief Justice of Zimbabwe, Luke Malaba, has published a notice in the gazette announcing the appointment of 35 judges to handle electoral disputes in the country. The judges, who were selected after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and the Judge President of the High Court, have begun working with immediate effect. The appointment is in line with section 162(1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13].
The judges will form the Electoral Court Division of the High Court and will serve from 1st June 2023 to 31st December. The appointed judges are Justices:
- Judge President Maria Dube,
- Garainesu Mawadze,
- Happias Zhou,
- Joseph Mafusire,
- David Mangota,
- Maxwell Takuva,
- Amy Tsanga,
- Nokuthula Moyo,
- Esther Muremba,
- Davison Moses Foroma,
- Tawanda Chitapi,
- Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa,
- Phildah Muzofa,
- Isaac Muzenda,
- Neville Wamambo,
- Sylvia Chirawu-Mugomba,
- Benjamin Chikowero,
- Pisirai Kwenda,
- Jacob Manzunzu,
- Evangelista Kabasa,
- Christopher Dube-Banda,
- Siyabona Musithu,
- Sunsley Zisengwe,
- Webster Chinamora,
- Gladys Mhuri,
- Emilia Muchawa,
- Fatima Maxwell,
- Rodgers Manyangadze,
- Joseph Chilimbe,
- Cathrine Bachi-Muzawazi,
- Bongani Ndlovu,
- Samuel Deme,
- Munamato Mutevedzi,
- Never Katiyo and
- Lucie-Annie Mungwari.
The announcement comes ahead of Zimbabwe’s general elections slated for 23 August this year. Political parties have begun preparing for the polls, with Zanu-PF aspiring MPs currently attending a workshop at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology. The main opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), is finalizing its nomination list and conducting grassroots campaigns to secure rural votes.
In Zimbabwe, electoral disputes have frequently spilt into the courts in recent years, with the most notable case being in 2018 when the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) challenged the results of the presidential election, alleging irregularities and fraud. The case was heard by the Constitutional Court, which upheld the results and declared Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner of the election. The MDC rejected the ruling, but the matter was settled without any major incidents of violence.
Other electoral disputes have also been heard in the courts, including cases of vote-rigging, intimidation, and violence.