James Devittie

Justice Moses Hungwe Chinhengo, who died on 19 September 2025, aged 70, leaves behind an enduring legacy of integrity and an abiding faith in the rule of law.

By James Devittie (former High Court of Zimbabwe judge) In the growth of every electoral system, there comes a time when old practices must be modified in order to respond to emerging challenges and keep pace with contemporary developments. Zimbabwe once again finds itself embroiled in a post -election dispute. However, this time there is a difference : Election observers appointed by the regional body SADC have, for the first time in Zimbabwe’s election history, found that Zimbabwe’s elections failed to meet the minimum standards outlined in SADC guidelines. Zimbabwe’s main opposition party has called for fresh elections to be held under international supervision as a way of resolving the dispute. The reality on the ground, however, is that following his inauguration this week, President Mnangagwa has begun to serve his second term. This means that even if SADC, which now appears seized with Zimbabwe's electoral crisis, was to edge the main parties towards a rerun, the counter-argument—that under Zimbabwean law, only the Constitutional Court has the authority to set aside a Presidential election and order a rerun—is unassailable. The ruling party's incoming administration is unlikely relish the thought of enduring another five-year period marked by attrition, during which Zimbabwe would consistently grapple with its status as a pariah state in the eyes of Western nations- a status that carries with it the onerous burden of economic sanctions. In considering possible pathways to navigate its way out of this impasse, Kenya’s election history offers Zimbabwe’s government salutary lessons. Full Article: https://nehandaradio.com/2023/09/05/zimbabwe-at-the-crossroads-the-case-for-electoral-reform-and-inclusive-governance-lessons-from-kenya/

By James Devittie The Covid era brought to light widespread acts of corruption across the world, including in North and South America, Asia , and  Europe.  National elites, leveraging their proximity to the centres of State power, ruthlessly exploited the Covid pandemic, a human tragedy of near biblical proportions. It is a truth seldom acknowledged, that the propensity of national elites to loot the wealth of the people through public procurement systems transcends race, bears no allegiance to political party affiliation, and is not unique to Africa ; it lies deep within a human condition common to us all, a condition nurtured by a system that  celebrates the endless  accumulation of personal  wealth  as the ultimate good - a  system that  has  made a virtue of unrestrained greed. 

James Devitte: "Last month marked the 47th anniversary of Bram Fischer’s death on 8 May 1975. An Afrikaner,  advocate and  socialist  revolutionary, Bram  Fischer sacrificed his family, his heritage, his career, and his life in the struggle to establish a just society in South Africa."