CHIEF Justice Dr Mumba Malila says government is committed to improving judicial infrastructure in the country.
Dr Mumba notes that the state of most court infrastructure that include court buildings, offices and judges’ houses remains dire and does not give public confidence.
The Chief Justice said this in Nchelenge district today when he officially handed an Urban Local Court alongside eight other judicial infrastructure projects constructed and rehabilitated across the country.
The projects which have been rehabilitated and constructed by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) include Urban Local courts and housing units for judges and magistrates in Luapula, Eastern, North Western, Copperbelt and Northern provinces.
Dr Malila stressed that judicial infrastructure is critical to effective admistration of justice.
“The Judiciary is faced with the infrastructure challenges at all levels of court. By geographical coverage, the Local Courts are found everywhere in our country and attend to a lot more cases than any other court – they are in fact the face of the Judiciary. However, most Local Court structures give a gloomy picture as to the state of the court infrastructure and may not give much public confidence,” Dr Malila said.
Dr Malila stated that the Judiciary will continue to lobby for more infrastructure construction and rehabilitation and to address other challenges such as lack of office equipment and inadequate and qualified manpower to serve the public.
“The Judiciary has also welcomed court infrastructure projects under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), and some court infrastructure has successfully been constructed and handed over under CDF,” Dr Malila said.
Meanwhile, Principal Resident Magistrate Peggy Banda, called for the extension of support to Surbordinate Courts in Luapula Province.
Magistrate Banda revealed that only five out of 12 districts in Luapula Province have established Surbordinate Courts resulting in other districts receiving only circuited courts.
And ZNS Commander, Lieutenant General, Maliti Solochi noted that the Service remains steadfast to supporting development through construction of critical and cost effective infrasture solutions that responds to Development needs of the country.
Speaking through ZNS Commander-Builders Brigade, Brigadier General Mwanamakwa Samanyama, Lt. Gen. Solochi disclosed that ZNS will continue to collaborate with the judiciary to improve public infrastructure aimed at enhancing access to justice.
