By A Correspondent| Zimbabwe’s judiciary has been plunged into fresh controversy after Chief Justice Luke Malaba ordered all judges to undergo training at the Zanu PF-aligned Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, prompting outrage from within the bench over what some are calling a blatant violation of judicial independence.
According to an internal programme seen by ZimLive, the two-day training scheduled for July 4 and 5 will also feature lectures from top government and intelligence officials, including Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director-General Fulton Mangwanya, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya, and Finance Secretary George Guvamatanga.
The training, described as a judicial orientation on the “Integrated Results Based Management System (IRBM),” is reportedly being coordinated by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and is said to be tied to performance evaluations for judges.
But several judges, speaking on condition of anonymity, have criticised the programme, raising alarm over what they see as creeping politicisation of the judiciary.
“This desecration of constitutional values concerns us and, quite frankly, I and some colleagues I spoke to feel violated,” said one judge. “The independence of the judiciary is a cornerstone of our democratic system. Judges must operate free from political interference to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.”
The decision to subject judicial officers to training spearheaded by a ruling party institution has stoked fears of ideological indoctrination and deepened mistrust within the legal community.
“What does the government mean by performance evaluation of judges?” the same judge questioned. “Training programmes linked to political entities risk compromising our independence and could lead to perceptions of bias, undermining public trust in the judiciary.”
The judge added that training for judges should be facilitated by impartial, professional legal educators committed to upholding the rule of law—not partisan actors.
Among the scheduled speakers is Ishmael Mada, principal of the Herbert Chitepo School, who succeeded Zanu PF commissar Munyaradzi Machacha. In a 2022 interview with The Sunday Mail, Machacha described the school as “a party school to instil ideological consciousness and national orientation” in Zanu PF members.
Also expected to address the judiciary are Finance Ministry officials who will brief the judges on the country’s economic outlook and updates on the National Development Strategy 1 and 2—raising further concern that the judiciary is being exposed to government propaganda under the guise of training.
Malaba, who controversially extended his term beyond the constitutionally mandated retirement age of 70 through a constitutional amendment, is facing sharp criticism for enabling what some judges describe as an “assault” on judicial independence.
“He is front and centre of these crass violations,” said the judge. “It’s particularly concerning that this is happening in his final months in office. He wants to leave behind a judiciary that’s vulnerable and lacks public confidence. This shall forever define his legacy.”