Zim preps for CCJA at advanced stage

**Judicial Service Commission Secretary Walter Chikwana and Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa Secretary-General, Laraba Moussa**

Audrey Galawu

Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa Secretary-General Laraba Moussa has said Zimbabwe preparations for the CCJA are at an advanced stage and are going smoothly.

Addressing the media this afternoon, Moussa said he met with Justice Luke Malaba and is confident that Zimbabwe will be successful in hosting the conference.

The Judiciary of Zimbabwe won the bid to host the 2024 CCJA which will be attended by at least 50 Chief Justices in Victoria Falls next year.

“We are here in respect of the CCJA and we met the Chief Justice and we are comfortable with the preparations which are being done by Zimbabwe. We are confident that this conference will be very successful. All this is to serve the citizens of Africa and the delivery of justice to the African people.

Judicial Service Commission Secretary Walter Chikwana said the Commission is collaborating with various governmental departments and institutions to ensure that the conference runs smoothly.

“Over 50 countries come together to discuss issues of human rights and constitutional laws so this is the biggest gathering of the constitutional jurisdictions in Africa. So, the secretary general is coming to assess preparedness and to help us identify critical angles that should attend to so that when the delegates come, we are ready to host them and make sure that when they come, they are as comfortable as possible.

“We are collaborating with various government institutions to ensure the success of the conference. For example, we need funding which the ministry of finance which we have been assured of. We are collaborating with the department of immigration which is meeting tomorrow in Victoria Falls with the Secretary-general, we are also collaborating with the Zimbabwe Republic Police to make sure that there is enough security and other security institutions,” he said.

The CCJA holds the conference every two years and Zimbabwe will chair the CCJA for two years after hosting the conference.

CCJA was founded in May 2011 with a membership of 48 African constitutional jurisdictions.

It seeks to promote and disseminate universal values and principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rights as enshrined in the preamble of the Constitutive Act of the African Union and national constitutions.