Samuel Deme
| Justice Samuel Deme | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1975 Gutu, Masvingo |
| Education | University of Zimbabwe |
| Occupation | Lawyer, High Court Judge |
| Known for | Being the first visually impaired Zimbabwean Judge |
| Spouse(s) | Manyara Hazvineyi |
| Children | 1 |
Samuel Deme is a Zimbabwean lawyer and judge of the High Court. He became the first Zimbabwean with a visual impairment to join the High Court as a judge in September 2021.
Background
He was born in Mataruse and grew up in Soti Source in Gutu, Masvingo.[1][2] Samuel Deme is visually impaired.[3] Deme lost his eyesight to measles in 1982 at the age of six while staying in rural Gutu. When he was taken to hospital more than a month afterwards, Deme was in a comma and they managed to resuscitate him.[4]
Age
Samuel Deme was born in 1975.[1]
Wife & Children
Samuel Deme is married to Manyara Hazvineyi and the couple has a daughter. His wife has been doubling up as his personal assistant since 2007.
He said he elected to have her as his personal assistant for convenience knowing there are times he can be called to attend to urgent matters.[5]
Education
In school, Deme had to rely on the Department of Social Welfare for his tuition fees.
He did his primary education at Kapota School for the Blind in Masvingo from 1985 to 1992. Samuel Deme later proceeded to Mutendi High School for his secondary school studies.
After passing his Advanced Levels with flying colours, Deme enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe where he studied and completed a Bachelor of Laws Honours (LLB) degree. He relied on friends and relatives to read out loud for him when he was at Kapota and when he was at the University of Zimbabwe. Deme said at Kapota School for the Blind they used tape recorders to record their friends reading for them. Sometimes, he would go through three Shona novels per night using the tape recorder.
Samuel Deme also graduated with a Master’s degree in Women's Law in 2010.[4]
Career
For close to nine and half years from 2003, he worked as the principal officer in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs representing paupers in courts.
He provided legal assistance to disadvantaged groups of people who included women and persons with disabilities, helping to ensure their rights were respected.[4]
In 2013 he joined the Department of Legislative Drafting in the Attorney General’s office as the deputy director.
On 27 September 2021, Samuel Deme and eight others including Munamato Mutevedzi, Rodgers Foroma, Chipo Mungwari, Elijah Makomo, Never Katiyo, Cathrine Bachi-Muzawazi, Bongani Ndlovu and Joseph Chilimbe, were appointed to the High Court by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mhlomuli Ncube, Visually-impaired Judge shares story of overcoming, ZBC, Published: No Date Given, Retrieved: December 16, 2021
- ↑ Ellen Mlambo, Visually impaired lawyer shortlisted for High Court judges’ posts, Masvingo Mirror, Published: August 16, 2021, Retrieved: December 16, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mathew Masinge, Visually impaired man appointed judge, H-Metro, Published: September 28, 2021, Retrieved: December 16, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Fatima Bulla-Musakwa, Visually impaired judge’s long walk to the top, The Sunday Mail, Published: October 3, 2021, Retrieved: December 16, 2021
- ↑ Leonard Ncube, Visually impaired judge defies odds, The Chronicle, Published: November 18, 2021, Retrieved: December 16, 2021
