Mnangagwa appoints Elizabeth Gwaunza as Zimbabwe’s first female Chief Justice

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Elizabeth Gwaunza as Zimbabwe’s new Chief Justice, making her the first woman to occupy the country’s highest judicial office.

The appointment, announced by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya, takes effect from May 15, 2026.

“His Excellency, the President, has in terms of Section 180(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe appointed Honourable Mrs Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Zimbabwe with effect from 15 May 2026,” Rushwaya said in a statement.

Rushwaya said Gwaunza was suitably qualified for the role, citing her long judicial career and service as Deputy Chief Justice since March 29, 2018.

“Honourable Mrs Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza is qualified for appointment, having served as the Deputy Chief Justice since 29 March 2018 and possessing extensive judicial experience,” he added.

Gwaunza replaces outgoing Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who retires after reaching the constitutional retirement age of 75.

Malaba’s tenure was among the most politically contentious in Zimbabwe’s post-independence judicial history, marked by major rulings on former president Robert Mugabe’s resignation, the disputed 2018 presidential election challenge and the constitutional battle surrounding the extension of judges’ retirement ages from 70 to 75.

The extension, introduced through Constitutional Amendment No. 2, was widely criticised by opposition parties and legal analysts who argued it was designed specifically to keep Malaba in office longer.

At the same time, Mnangagwa also appointed Paddington Garwe as the new Deputy Chief Justice.

“His Excellency, the President, has in terms of Section 180(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe appointed Honourable Mr Justice Paddington Garwe as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic of Zimbabwe with effect from 15 May 2026,” Rushwaya said.

Garwe has served as a judge of the Constitutional Court since May 2021 following his elevation during the judiciary reshuffle that followed the 2017 military-assisted transition that brought Mnangagwa to power.

Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono described Gwaunza’s appointment as a historic milestone for Zimbabwe’s judiciary.

Gwaunza has served on Zimbabwe’s superior courts bench for nearly three decades, first becoming a High Court judge in 1998 before joining the Supreme Court in 2002.

Her elevation now places her at the helm of a judiciary that continues to face scrutiny over its independence and relationship with the executive.

“Malaba, who took over as Chief Justice in March 2017 after the retirement of Godfrey Chidyausiku, leaves behind one of the most politically controversial judicial legacies in Zimbabwe’s post-independence history.

“His tenure included rulings on Robert Mugabe’s resignation, the disputed 2018 election challenge, and the constitutional battle over extending judges’ retirement ages from 70 to 75, a change widely seen as designed to keep him in office,” Chin’ono added.