President Hakainde Hichilema has implored the newly sworn-in Judges to speed up the delivery of justice.
Speaking yesterday at State House when he swore-in 19 Judges, two diplomats and the Deputy Auditor General, President Hichilema said there are too many adjournments of courts cases.
The President wondered why a case would take 19 years for the courts of law to adjudicate.
“Too many adjournments in our courts, as a citizen I had a case that has been going on for 19 years. Adjournment after adjournment, it involves a land matter, you can’t manufacture land,” he said.
Mr Hichilema pointed out that cases are delayed to be adjudicated because someone, somewhere decided to sit on the case. The Head of State reminded the Judges that they have been appointed to serve the people of Zambia hence the call for them to speedily deliver justice without any delay.
He highlighted that the appointment of the 19 Judges is aimed at reducing the workload being handled by one Judge, so as to speed up the delivery of justice.
“Part of your coming is to answer the question of the volume of work being done by one judge, it is unprecedented 19 Judges. This is meant to answer the issue files the Judge is working on at a particular time, so that you can discharge your duties to the citizens diligently. Speed does not mean giving away diligence, no,” he said.
The Head of State stated that some public workers often forget why they were appointed for the position they are occupying but should always remember that they have been employed to render service to the Zambian people.
“I do notice that people get to these positions and quickly forget why there were appointed,” he said.
President Hichilema further said the Judges should work as a team with other government arms in delivering quality public service to the citizenry.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema has tasked the newly sworn-in diplomates to aim at bringing investment and technology to the country.
Those sworn-in to serve in the Foreign Service include Zambia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Glynne Michelo and Zambia’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Rose Sakala.
And in addressing the Deputy Auditor General Ronnie Mwambwa, President Hichilema urged him to ensure there is prudence in the use of public funds.
President Hichilema stressed on the need for proper accountability of public funds so as to reduce wastage.
Speaking after the swearing ceremony, President of the Constitutional Court Mulela Munalula said her top priority is to see to it that there is speedy delivery of justice.
I didn’t know he had a case that was delayed. Lt can you please give more details?
The church elder once again is telling lies. There is no case that has been pending for 19yrs that HH lodged in our Zambian Courts. I just spent 2 hrs this morning looking at the longest standing cases in the file at the Ministry of Justice. All cases a filed chronologically.
Boza. When he was locked for overtaking His Excellency the case never went b4 any judge. Some woman arrived to free him
Dictatorship of the Judiciary. This can only happen where judges are not putting a full day’s work every day. High time we had an operational audit of the Judiciary.
His case took 19yrs and he has appointed 19 Judges. This man is sometimes in the league of abena Shi Mumbi. We just fear to tell him because Kajoba will see it differently. HH you’re not alone, some have died without their cases even being shortlisted. The most notorious is the Industrial Relations Court. You have my support on this
If it was 30 years, he would have given us thirty justices.
Always bitter.
Bitter with who?
Bitter for having been prevented from entering State House for decades then finding out that Lungu had left a chitumwa in the house thus preventing him from living there forever!
There was a very good article written by Isaac Mwanza who argued that every President has appointed judges with Lungu having appointed more. HH now has appointed his judges as he is allowed by law.
The issue now is that the judges will be sharing court rooms and this isn’t a solution to handling cases faster and more efficiently.
Mwanza states that we have been using the same courts since independence with only the addition of the Industrial relations court near intercity bus station in Lusaka whilst other provinces don’t have new court rooms. Even the economic criminals court shares courtrooms with the Ndola Magistrate court.
Perhaps we can use Kamala Harris’16 million to construct more court rooms.
@Chiza Chirwa. Exactly! Some of these chaps think in reverse just to ensure that their causes are advanced no matter what it takes. The judiciary right now is in extreme need of infrastructure and there you go appointing judges who apart from increasing govt expenditure, you trust will rule in yours and groupies/associates favour. And unfortunately as someone who personally knows some of these appointees, I wouldn’t even appoint at least half of them as magistrates in lower courts…anyway it’s your turn. Enjoy!!!
The judges can’t rule on some cases for
Reasons best known to them .
You had many cases – which one? The treason case did not take 19 years?
I am not aware of your case that took 19 years. Which case did you commit in 2003?
Why do have to give yourself as an example,always!. Everything is about you.
Kuzimvera. Dying to be a martyr
Kikikikikikiki indeed Ati dying to be a martyr. Or what else?
There must be a law that cases should be disposed of within a certain time frame. That is when these magistrates and judges will spend time in the courtroom and work, otherwise it’s always this one is not available today etc..
Whenever I have been to the New Chikwa Court complex, I’ve never found all Court rooms full and operating. Usually it’s either 2 hearing cases and one adjourning others for colleagues that are indisposed. Why is that so?
My brother the whole Zambia suffers from inefficiency. Since there’s noone with a whip behind us we cant work. From the President down to the lowest civil servant we are indisciplined and just dont care. Those courtrooms will be under-utilised and people will keep wondering why we have so many pending cases until a Kagame turns up.
I wholeheartedly commend him for such a gesture. The justice system needs a face lift and this may be the starting point. Just how he came at 19 judges, I have failed to comprehend.
Another of those speeches just for the sake of it. What will be happening is the exact opposite.
The dancing Lawyer/President/Everything eg heating that stuff in public/ running away from interviews/entertaining witch Doctors/Everyday drunk and could not explain the difference between President and Lawyer/misinterpreting law everyday of his life/misplacing client moneys and many more just too numerus to mention.