Government has reiterated its commitment to the independence of judiciary.
The government has also assured the judiciary of improved funding following renewed
economic activity in the country.
Central province minister Sydney Chisanga said government fully supported an
independent and impartial judiciary through which citizens could enjoy their
fundamental rights and freedoms.
Mr. Chisanga said this in a speech read for him by Provincial Deputy Permanent
Secretary Luke Mankapi during the ceremonial opening of the High Court criminal
session n Kabwe today.
“As a government, we are fully committed to the existence of an independent and
impartial judiciary, for it is only through the existence of an independent and
impartial judiciary that citizens can fully enjoy their fundamental rights and
freedoms,” he said.
The minister said government was fully aware of the poor funding to the justice
sector due to limited resources which had to be shared between competing needs such
as development projects.
Mr. Chisanga was however quick to point out that funding to the sector would soon
improve following improved government revenue collection brought about by the
renewed economic activity.
On increased sexual offences against minors, Mr. Chisanga implored the bench to mete
out stiffer penalties against offenders in order to show society’s disapproval of
such offences.
And turning to rundown infrastructure, Mr. Chisanga said government was
addressing the situation, citing the ongoing construction of a magistrates and local
courts complex at Kapiri-Mposhi.
He said government had also addressed the issue of transport for the Prisons
Department while the Zambia Police Service would soon be given vehicles so that
prisoners could be taken to court without delay.
Speaking at the same function, Kabwe High Court judge in charge Reuben Mwape
appealed for increased funding to the judiciary if the sector was to effectively
play its role in the democratic dispensation.
Justice Mwape also bemoaned the high number of cases from Chibombo district and
stressed the need to have a magistrate stationed there permanently to cut down on
the costs of taking cases to Kabwe.
And Mukobeko Maximum Security Officer in Charge Phastone Shaloba told the opening
session that currently there were 2,601 inmates in state prisons in Central
Province.
