Below is the short history of Zimbabwe’s Chief Justices since 1980. Legal experts in the ZimEye newsroom reveal that the Chief Justice job is crucial for the Presidency because the CJ effectively rules Zimbabwe as they can with a simple dot of the ink, stop President Robert Mugabe. 

2017 to current – Luke Malaba, a Ndebele who is known for opposing the verdict granting Robert Mugabe powers to hold the 2013 “NIKUV” elections, was appointed CJ yesterday 28th March 2017.

2001 to 2017 – Godfrey Chidyausiku (A former minister in Mugabe’s cabinet, and a chief Mugabe propagandist who later on attempted staying on beyond the legal age of 70. He was blocked from his attempts and forced to retire this year.)

1990 to 2001 – Anthony Gubbay (a Jewish Zimbabwean, who was fired by Mugabe as punishement for ruling Mugabe’s violent land reform program unlawful)

1984 to 1990 – Enoch Dumbutshena, Zimbabwe’s first black judge in 1980 and served as Chief Justice from 1984 to 1990. He later attempted politics but failed as ZimEye reveals. Presidential aspirant Noah Manyika tells ZimEye he came out of the system to challenged Robert Mugabe.

1980 to 1984 – John Fieldsend, a British lawyer, the first Chief Justice of Zimbabwe. He was appointed for a fixed term and assumed office on 1 July 1980. Born in England, Sir John (as he later became) was brought up in Southern Rhodesia. After graduating in law he practised as an advocate in Bulawayo. In 1962 he was appointed a judge of the High Court, but resigned in 1968 in protest against the decision of the Appellate Court to grant judicial recognition to the government of former premier, Ian Smith. – ZimEye