President Emmerson Mnangagwa has presented a farming equipment package to recently retired Chief Justice Luke Malaba, praising his long service in the judiciary and encouraging him to pursue agriculture in retirement.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, the President said he had welcomed Hon Malaba to State House and handed over an agricultural mechanisation package to support his transition from public office.
The package includes a tractor, a Nissan UD truck, a boom sprayer and a planter.
President Mnangagwa said the gesture was in recognition of Hon Malaba’s “outstanding service spanning decades, unwavering commitment, and exemplary legal leadership within the Zimbabwean judiciary”.
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“It was my pleasure to welcome the recently retired Chief Justice, Luke Malaba, to State House today,” the President said.
He added that the equipment was intended to help the former Chief Justice embark on agricultural activities after retirement, urging him to apply his experience in the sector.
“As he retires from the judiciary, I encourage him to leverage his vast expertise in the agricultural sector. Our land is a vital asset, and productivity must persist at all levels,” he said.
Hon Malaba retired last month after serving as Chief Justice since 2017, having previously held senior judicial roles, including Deputy Chief Justice.
His tenure, however, was marked by controversy, particularly over constitutional interpretation and judicial independence.
In 2021, he came under scrutiny after issuing a directive extending his tenure beyond the constitutional retirement age, a move that was challenged in court and sparked public debate over the independence of the judiciary. Although the Constitutional Court initially upheld the extension, the decision was widely criticised by legal experts and civil society groups.
He also presided over several high-profile political and electoral cases, some of which drew accusations from opposition parties and human rights groups that the judiciary was not sufficiently independent in politically sensitive matters. Mr Malaba and the judiciary have consistently rejected claims of bias, insisting that all rulings were based on the law.
Despite the controversies, the government has frequently praised his leadership of the judiciary.
In his message, President Mnangagwa thanked Hon Malaba for his service and wished him success in his post-retirement agricultural ventures.
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