Epworth gets Magistrates Court

Harare (New Ziana) – A new magistrates court will open in Epworth, one of Harare’s satellite settlements, next month as the Judiciary Services Commission (JSC) speeds up moves to decentralise and decongest existing courts, an official said on Tuesday.

At present, people from Epworth have to travel to Harare or Chitungwiza to access court services.

Speaking during a media tour of the new court facilities in Epworth, JSC secretary, Walter Chikwanha said only furnishings and fittings remained outstanding on the Epworth court facilities.

He said the commission was committed to taking courts to the people.

“We are decentralising our courts to townships to decongest our city centres and at the same time decongest the only court houses that we have in our city centres. For instance, in Harare we have Harare Magistrates Court and Mbare (Magistrates Court) only, so we needed to embark on this project,” he said.

“We are taking courts to the people. Ordinarily, the people of Epworth and surrounding areas are supposed to travel all the way to town for them to access the only available courts. Now they don’t need to look for money for transport because the court has been brought to their doorstep.”

“So this project is almost done. We are now working on the finishing touches. We are targeting that this court will be open in the last week of February.”

The building will house both criminal and civil courts and at least two magistrates will handle the cases.

Chikwanha said JSC was expecting to build more courts in Gweru, Bulawayo, Mutare and Harare.

“We are finishing Epworth. We are starting another project, Cowdray Park in Bulawayo. We hope that by the 1st of March, the contractor will move on site.

“We are also hopeful to move in Mukoba, Gweru and we have now secured land there. We are also going to put a court in Highfields.We are looking at Bulawayo, Gweru, Harare and Mutare and we have engaged with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and Local Authorities for us to access land or dilapidated buildings which we will rehabilitate and turn them into courts,” he said.

New Ziana