JSC Secretalry Dr Walter Chikwanha, has confirmed that Zimbabwe Chief Justice Luke Malaba will leave the bench on 15th of May 2026.
Chikwana paid trbute to Malaba who has been on the bench for over 40 years. Luke Malaba was born in the Plumtree District of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on Birth Date: May 15, 1951. He attended St. Ignatius College in Chishawasha. He initially enrolled at the University of Rhodesia in 1973 but was forced to leave due to a restriction order following his involvement in student politics. He subsequently completed his law degrees at the University of Warwick and the University of Zimbabwe.
His participation in the 1973 student protests that led to his expulsion and move to the UK. Some of his UZ classmates include:
Musaemura Zimunya: A celebrated Zimbabwean poet and academic who was a key leader in the 1973 student protests alongside Malaba.
Dambudzo Marechera: Also expelled during the same 1973 crackdown for his involvement in student activism.
Witness Mangwende: A future cabinet minister in the Mugabe government who was a student leader at the university during this time.
Early Career (1974–1993)
1974: Earned his first law degree from the University of Warwick.
1981–1984: Began his professional career as a public prosecutor in Bulawayo.
1982: Obtained a second law degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
1984: Appointed as a magistrate in Masvingo, marking the start of his judicial career.
1990: Attained the rank of Regional Magistrate.
Rise to Higher Courts (1994–2016)
1994–2001: Served as a Judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe.
2001–2008: Promoted to the Supreme Court as a Judge of Appeal.
2005–2016: Served as a judge of the COMESA Court of Justice for over a decade.
2008–2017: Appointed as Zimbabwe’s first Deputy Chief Justice.
Chief Justice Tenure (2017–Present)
March 1, 2017: Became Acting Chief Justice following the retirement of Godfrey Chidyausiku.
March 27, 2017: Formally appointed as Chief Justice of Zimbabwe by President Robert Mugabe.
August 2018: Presided over the Constitutional Court bench that upheld Emmerson Mnangagwa’s election victory, dismissing Nelson Chamisa’s challenge.
May 11–15, 2021: A constitutional amendment increased the retirement age from 70 to 75, allowing President Mnangagwa to extend Malaba’s tenure by five years just days before his 70th birthday.
May–September 2021: Faced a legal challenge where the High Court initially ruled his extension illegal; however, the Constitutional Court later cleared him to continue serving.
May 15, 2026: His scheduled mandatory retirement date upon reaching the age of 75.
Luke Malaba served as a judge of the COMESA Court of Justice (CCJ) for over a decade, from 2005 to 2016. This international appointment ran concurrently with his senior judicial roles in Zimbabwe, including his time as a Supreme Court judge and his appointment as the nation’s first Deputy Chief Justice in 2008
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