Elizabeth Gwaunza

Background

Born: 1953. ^[1]

Service/Career

Gwaunza was admitted as a legal practitioner of the High Court of Zimbabwe in 1987.
Gwaunza co-founded and was the national coordinator of the Women and Law in Southern Africa Research Project between 1989 and 1995.
She was the first director, Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Community Development and Women’s Affairs and also worked as a director of Legal Aid in the Ministry of Justice. Gwaunza served on the boards of many women’s non-governmental organizations, including Musasa Project and the Women’s Leadership and Governance Institute. She chaired the Wills and Inheritance Project — a joint venture of DFID and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. She was founding member and past president of the Zimbabwe Association of Women Judges and member of the International Association of Women Judges.^[1]

Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in August 1998. She was later elevated to the Supreme Court in November 2002. Gwaunza became the second woman to sit on the Supreme Court after Justice Vernanda Ziyambi.^[2]

She served as an Acting Judge of Appeal in the Supreme Court.

Events

Appointment as Deputy Chief Justice

In March 2018, Gwaunza was appointed as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional and Supreme Court of Zimbabwe. She succeeded Justice Luke Malaba who took the post of Chief Justice. ^[3]

Appointment as Acting Chief Justice

On 15 May 2021, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) appointed Gwaunza as the Acting Chief Justice of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The appointment came after the High Court ruled against Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to extend Luke Malaba’s tenure as Chief Justice by another five years highlighting that the decision was “illegal as it violated the Constitution”.^[4]

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, Elizabeth Gwaunza was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million
• Midlands US$14 million.

Elizabeth Gwaunza is listed under the thematic group “Political Referees: Judges”. According to the list, she got US$62,534.00. ^[5]

Housing loans

It has been reported in June 2023, that all judges in Zimbabwe have been given US$400 000 (each) for housing loans. A source as said that Chief Justice Luke Malaba and deputy Elizabeth Gwaunza have already been allocated these benefits.

Political commentator Pride Mkono questioned the timing of the loans considering that the judiciary plays an important role in resolving post-election disputes. Their independent standing as the judiciary is now questioned by many. While the idea of improving the welfare of government workers is an important and ideal situation, it must not be done in a manner that exposes judges to political posturing and pork-barrelling. Another said, This is once again a clear demonstration that the judiciary in this country is now captured. Loans were granted in June 2023, the election is to be 23 August 2023. In addition to this, an amendment to the Constitution now allows only one person, which is the President, to appoint, when Zimbabweans had indicated that when it comes to judges they had wanted the Parliament to be involved because the judiciary would be impartial.

In 2022, the Government awarded Members of Parliament US$40 000 each, and Cabinet Ministers US$500 000 each, funded by taxpayers, for houses. ^[6]

Further Reading

References