THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will this year recruit judges as part of efforts to reduce mounting case backlogs and improve the delivery of justice.
The move comes as Zimbabwe’s courts grapple with rising criminal and civil caseloads, staff shortages and delays, prompting concerns over access to timely justice and public confidence in the legal system.
Speaking to journalists in Harare yesterday, JSC secretary Walter Chikwana said the recruitment drive was a strategic response to increasing caseloads across the courts, which have been exacerbated by capacity constraints and the growing demand for judicial services.
He said strengthening the Judiciary was critical to ensuring timely justice and restoring public confidence in the justice delivery system.
“The Judicial Service Commission has prioritised the recruitment of additional judges this year as a deliberate measure to address the persistent challenge of case backlogs,” Chikwana said.
He noted that the shortage of judges had directly affected the speed at which cases are finalised, particularly in the High Court and specialised courts, adding that delays undermined the rights of litigants and the credibility of the justice system.
“By increasing the number of judges, we expect to significantly improve case clearance rates and ensure that matters are heard and concluded within reasonable timeframes,” he said.
Meanwhile, officially opening the 2026 legal year yesterday, Chief Justice Luke Malaba said it was imperative to deploy the correct number of competent staff at every station to ensure effective service delivery.
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“Staff shortages invariably overwork the few members in post and may cause staff demotivation. If that happens, it will inevitably result in poor work output,” he said.
Malaba said over the past decade, the Judiciary had embarked on an extensive decentralisation programme, particularly within the High Court and the magistrates’ courts.
“New magistrates court stations were opened in many districts across the country. New seats of the High Court were established in various provinces in addition to the streamlining of the High Court itself to specialised divisions, which include the commercial and the anti-corruption divisions in Harare,” he said.
Malaba, however, said the decentralisation drive had not been matched by a corresponding increase in judicial and support staff.
“The number of judges and magistrates in the country has barely increased despite the opening of new courts. Any recruitment that has taken place over the years was intended to cover the gaps brought about by various forms of staff attrition, such as deaths, discharges, retirements and resignations,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe’s criminal and civil justice systems were being handled by just 80 judges and 250 magistrates.
“The untenable situation is made worse by the fact that Zimbabweans are an enlightened people who have embraced modern ways of dispute resolution,” Malaba said.
He added that the misalignment between staffing levels and workload had significantly contributed to delays and could compromise both the quantity and quality of judicial services.
“The number of judges and magistrates in post must be dramatically increased if the Judiciary is to continue performing its constitutional mandate.”
Malaba said all courts recorded increases in both criminal and civil cases in 2025 compared to the previous year.
“The observation made is that as the economy continues to improve, the enhanced economic activities also result in increased numbers of civil disputes and criminal cases, particularly those involving dishonesty such as fraud,” he said.
“The increased numbers in civil cases are also reflective of a society that has become highly aware of its rights and the fact that such rights can be vindicated in the courts.”
Malaba said in the face of rising litigation, courts must respond by adjudicating matters promptly and reducing delays.
“It is such reactions by the courts that ensure that a corresponding high number of cases is completed and the backlog of cases in the courts is kept under check,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Malaba applauded the courts’ performance, adding that there were exceptional performances of judges across all the superior courts and magistrates.
The magistrates' criminal court opened 2025 with 7 315 cases and closed the year with 7 701, increasing its backlog by 386 cases.
The magistrates’ civil court opened the year with 863 cases and closed with 6 174, increasing its backlog by 5 311 cases.
“It is a matter of concern that the backlog of civil cases in the magistrates court has increased,” Malaba said.
He attributed the spike to a high volume of summonses from local authorities in the last quarter of the year, poor supervision by senior officials and unnecessary postponement.
“Measures have now been put in place to ensure improved performance,” he said.
According to Malaba, the superior courts opened 2025 with 12 514 civil cases and closed the year with 10 045, reducing their backlog by 2 469 cases.
