HARARE – Judges have been left fuming after they were forced to ride on buses for a trip to Nyanga on Thursday.
The judges are attending an end-of-term retreat in Manicaland.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba directed that all judges would travel in two buses, one a 15-seater reserved for Constitutional Court judges and a 67-seater for the rest of the judges.
ZimLive understands most of the judges were unhappy with the arrangement, as they would have preferred to drive.
Judges were seen being dropped off by their drivers and hopping onto the buses at around 11AM on Thursday.
One judge who spoke to ZimLive said: “We each have our own peculiarities. Some need more comfort breaks than others, imagine having to stop the whole bus for whatever personal reason!
“And while in Nyanga, does it mean when one needs a bit of fresh air or they want to do some site seeing they must ask the bus driver to take them?”
Judges are issued with two vehicles for their official use. Previously, they attended meetings of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) by driving themselves after being given fuel coupons.
“This bus travel impairs the personal dignity of judges. If at all a bus can be used, it should be available as an option to those that don’t want to drive,” the judge added.
Putting all judges in one bus is a “grave security risk,” one senior lawyer said.
He added: “God forbid the bus crashes, what happens to the justice system in Zimbabwe? This was not a well thought-out decision. Malaba and the JSC are treating judges almost like school children.”
JSC secretary Walter Chikwana was unavailable for comment.
