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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has appointed the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo the country’s first female Prosecutor-General.

The appointment comes barely a week after another woman, outgoing Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Virginia Mabhiza was elevated to the position of Attorney General. 

She is also set to become the first female to occupy that office starting November 1.

Deputy Prosecutor-General, Mr Nelson Mutsonziwa has since last year in March been the acting Prosecutor-General following the resignation of Mr Kumbirai Hodzi on medical grounds.

Mr Hodzi, who resigned from his position on March 1 last year, had been at the helm of the country’s prosecution since 2018 after he replaced Advocate Ray Goba.

He was appointed first in an acting capacity in 2018 before being elevated to a substantive role in 2019.

In a statement yesterday, Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya said Justice Matanda-Moyo’s appointment is with immediate effect 

“His Excellency the President, has in terms of Section 259(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe appointed Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo as the Prosecutor-General with immediate effect,” he said.

Justice Matanda-Moyo is the current chairperson of ZACC), a position she held since May 2019.

The new Prosecutor-General has vast experience in the justice delivery system having served as a magistrate, State advisor in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, State counsel (Criminal Division) of the Attorney-General prosecuting in the High and Supreme Courts. 

She rose through the ranks to the post of Director Civil Division and Director Public Prosecution before being appointed Judge of the Labour Court in 2009 and Judge of the High Court in 2013. Justice Matanda-Moyo has also served as chairperson of the Land Acquisition Task Force and represented Zimbabwe in international cases on human rights.

The Prosecutor General heads the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) which was established under Section 258 of the country’s Constitution.