Harare, (New Ziana) –President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Hon. Mrs Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza as the new Chief Justice of Zimbabwe and Hon. Mr Justice Paddington Garwe as Deputy Chief Justice, ushering in a new era for the country’s judiciary following the retirement of long-serving Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
In separate press statements issued on Thursday by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr. Martin Rushwaya, the appointments were made in terms of Section 180(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and take effect from May 15, 2026.
Justice Gwaunza, who has served as Deputy Chief Justice since March 29, 2018, takes over as the head of the judiciary after years of service on the bench and extensive judicial experience.
Justice Garwe, meanwhile, rises to the position of Deputy Chief Justice after serving as a judge of the Constitutional Court since May 20, 2021.
The appointments come as Chief Justice Malaba officially retires after a judicial career spanning more than four decades, during which he served as a magistrate, High Court judge, Judge of Appeal, Deputy Chief Justice and ultimately Chief Justice.
Justice Malaba was appointed Chief Justice in March 2017 after previously serving as Deputy Chief Justice. Before his substantive appointment, he had briefly acted in the top judicial post following the retirement of former Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku.
Born on May 15, 1951, in Plumtree, Justice Malaba became one of Zimbabwe’s most influential judicial figures, presiding over key constitutional and national matters during his tenure.
His retirement marks the end of an extended tenure that followed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 of 2021, which raised the retirement age for judges from 70 to 75.
The Judicial Service Commission earlier confirmed that Justice Malaba’s last working day would be May 14, 2026, bringing to a close a chapter that shaped Zimbabwe’s judiciary over the past several years.
New Ziana
