HARARE – Chief Justice Luke Malaba has ordered all judges to undergo training by Zanu PF’s Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology in a new low for the judiciary.

The training, set to be held on July 4 and 5, will also see judges sit through sessions by the Central Intelligence Organisation boss Fulton Mangwanya and the chief secretary to the president and cabinet Martin Rushwaya, according to a programme seen by ZimLive.

“This desecration of constitutional values concerns us and quite frankly, I and some colleagues I spoke to feel violated,” a judge who requested not to be named said.

“The independence of the judiciary is a cornerstone of our democratic system. It is imperative that judges and judicial officers operate free from any political influence to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.”

Letters sent to judges state that the training has been organised by the Office of the President to familiarise judges with the “Integrated Results Based Management System (IRBM) relating to the performance evaluation of judges.”

The judge asked rhetorically: “What is performance evaluation of judges by the government?

“Training programmes that are linked to the deep state and to political entities risk compromising our independence and could lead to perceptions of bias, thereby undermining public confidence in our judicial system.

“We believe that training for the judiciary should be conducted by qualified, non-partisan professionals who are committed to upholding the rule of law and the principles of justice. The JSC must consider alternative arrangements that prioritise the integrity and impartiality of our judicial training.”

Judges will also sit through a presentation by finance secretary George Guvamatanga who will present “an overview of the economic outlook for the remainder of 2025 and beyond” and Charles Mujajati, a director in the finance ministry who will speak about “achievements and challenges under National Development Strategy 1 and National Development Strategy 2 road map.”

The judges feel they are being subjected to political propaganda, and are despondent over Malaba’s inaction or collusion in the assault on judicial independence.

Ishmael Mada, the principal of the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, was appointed by Zanu PF succeeding Munyaradzi Machacha, now the party’s secretary for the commissariat. Mada will be addressing the judges.

Machacha told the state-run Sunday Mail in 2022 that the institution was a “party school for Zanu PF to instil “ideological consciousness” and “national orientation” in the party membership.

Said the judge: “As judges we are deeply disappointed in the Chief Justice’s actions, which undermine judicial independence. As the guardian of our constitutional framework, he has a critical role in upholding the integrity of the judiciary. Instead, his actions have eroded trust and compromised the institution’s credibility.

“He is front and centre of these crass violations. It’s particularly concerning that this is happening in his final months in office. He wants to leave behind a judiciary that’s vulnerable and that lacks public confidence. This shall forever define his legacy.”

Malaba had been due to step down as Chief Justice on May 15, 2021, when he reached the age of 70 but the government introduced controversial constitutional amendments to extend his term, despite a High Court ruling that the change of term limits could not benefit an incumbent.

Malaba had the High Court judgement overturned by the Constitutional Court, which he heads, after judges refused to recuse themselves.

Malaba must step down by May 2026 beyond which his term cannot be extended.