The Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) has called for reforms in the way Judges are appointed to the bench in the country.
JCC Chairperson, Vincent Malambo said there is a need for a transparent and merit-based system to appoint Judges in the country through broader participation to ensure equity in the delivery of justice that will give the public confidence in the system.
The JCC Chairperson said the general public has a critical role to play in the fight against corruption by ensuring that they resist and report it.
Mr Malambo said one of the cases it handled indicates a clear failure of the judicial appointment system where a complaint was already known before the ratification of a named judge.
Mr Malambo thanked the complainant for taking the matter to the JCC and appearing before the commission.
He said the hearing was held in camera as provided for by the constitution.
Mr Malambo said there is need to send a clear message that there is no place for corrupt judges in Zambia.
He said the general public can help by providing information during the verification stage in the appointment of judges so that people of integrity and credibility are appointed to the bench.
And receiving the reports at State House in Lusaka today, President Hakainde Hichilema said appropriate action will be taken in line with the provisions of the law.
The Head of State said no person in the country is above the law and that judges found to be corrupt will be dealt with in line with the constitutional provisions.
President Hichilema assured the JCC that his administration will not interfere with the operations of the Judiciary but will ensure that erring and compromised judges are appropriately dealt with by law.
“The Executive will continue to support your work. We will not interfere with your operations,” said President Hichilema.
The President noted that Judges are held in high esteem by society and viewed as infallible to corruption.
Mr Hichilema hoped that the work of the JCC would be able to foster public confidence in the judiciary with regards to appointment of judges and delivery of justice.
President Hichilema commended the JCC for the work done so far despite being new and urged the commission to expeditiously hear all reports and cases brought before it.
“We need to encourage ordinary citizens to come out and report” said President Hichilema.
Mr Hichilema urged the Judiciary through the JCC to exercise patience and allow the Executive leverage to act on the reports in the same way that government has not interfered in the operations of the commission.
He said his administration will consult the JCC as it looks to act on the reports stating that Zambians are expecting to see the next step over the reports.
Toothless bulldog!! Just barking here and there and can’t bite! Kakubo should have been fired. Act man! Show that you have some b@lls!!
This corruption talk is enough now. I want to hear about how our lives we will changed for the better… I have been hear about corruption from chiluba when coming into office to now. It is bacoming boring. Let’s also talk much Bout development ideas as well
Judges are being insulted everyday. Hakainde we are waiting for you to waive the oath of secrecy for the DPP.
The lady has challenged you and you have become mouthless toothless Hakainde.
This starts with you Hechi Hechi. You’ve decided to put blind ear to the Kakubo saga and the fertilizer scandal. Wilatushinga butter.
Come off it some of you ?? how can we go forward when corruption rules zambia
convictions in courts is lacking and SOME judges are being swayed by monetory incentives
for those barking explain how you stop this ??
its inbred in every sector of our society
IT CANNOT BE IGNORED
LIFE STYLE AUDITS FOR ALL
Look who’s talking….the rot starts from the head….Judge are doing exactly what you as a demagogue corrupt head of state is doing…Kakubo…chushi…Nkombo are still on Government payroll when they’re supposed to be in Prison
but the Vincent Malambo is the most corrupt right?
How much was that he charged government and Chinese?
More threats and yet still nothing to show for his presidency. Its like having a big hard penls but shooting blanks
THIS NONSENSE ALL STEMS BACK TO PF DAYS
NOW ITS BEING CORRECTED YOU COMPLAIN
LETS THINK OF THE COUNTRY AND NOT ON PARTY LINES
Do you remember Lavemore Chikopa from Malawi who was to superintend the allegedly illegal tribunal set up by the PF to probe abuse of judicial processes of our 3 Judges?
Justices Nigel Mutuna, Charles Kajimanga and Phillip Musonda were the epicenter of the controversy.
While PF disregarded the JCC in 2012, the motive then and that of the UPND now is to have user friendly judges who will follow the current government direction.
Justice is not from judges, but fairness
The plain truth is that complaints against judges were being filed to the JCC even shen Edgar Lungu was in State House. But somehow the JCC was not convening sittings when it was being chaired by William Nyirenda. The Mvunga-chaired JCC had sat and was ready to act against Judge Sunday Nkonde but Edgar Lungu manufactured an excuse to keep him on the bench.
All none Tonga Judges must be removed … they are thieves… Only None Bemba leaning can be trusted … viva HHl
I hope HH7 listens to JCC and reforms are undertaken in the way Judges are selected to avoid a scenaro we had of a state capture kind of regime like that of Lazy Lungu who was literally handpicking his stooges and bent lawyers to be Judges.
People who are tired of hearing about corruption are the criminals being chased by ACC and DEC. Mwapya, you are lucky the police bonds are coming quicker this time around, thank the 2.8 million voters.
@Hakainde: There is no need to pretend here and act holly. Truth is this: The PF hired only Bembas into high positions & a few Easterners here & there. Secondly, Besides hiring only Bembas, they hired unqualified Bembas into all positions from council revenue collectors to Judges & ministers-What qualifications does Stephen Kampyongo, Ronald CHitotela, Bowman Lusambo, Munir Zulu, Emerine Kabanshi, Mumbi Phiri have? this is the first GRZ to ve street vendors, former tomato sellers into top GRZ offices. Not even Chilube a known thief could employ Empty tins into top positions. So yes, Bembas most will be fired cos only Bembas got employed-otherwise who else is there to fire for incomprtency-since no other tribe was incompetently employed?
The hence also the fact that even people every day complaining here are also Bemba cos they can too feel the pinch now as they too enjoyed while the PF rot went on. But surprisingly, these Bembas on this platform too never condemned the PF tribal appointments as they also benefited by effect. So they benefited and hence the roof hit the fan , they too get to suffer and again as an effect, So never mind them cos they never shared with you when they were enjoying but they want to share there suffering with you now. Refuse! they must be on their own like they used to employ their own during the PF rule.
Sunday Banana Nkonde needs gone asap, he’s middle name is corruption.
Sunday Nkonde is technically very good. His knowledge of the law and capacity to express his thinking clearly in writing has never been in doubt. It’s his ethics that are a problem.
It’s shameful for a liar to be taking about credibility and integrity…By the was The Botswana government have told Africom to close the office…no wonder.
@16 sounds like a tribalist. Timugwile? Olo tilwale?
If you can’t trust the judges then who can you trust? There has always been bad eggs among the judiciary… always. But to use that as an excuse to exclude one tribe from the system is nothing short of ethinic cleansing. If judge acquits Chitotela it’s not necessarily that Chitotela has used money, could be that the accuser has failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt