Hungwe named Court of Appeal president as judges reshuffled

Justice Charles Hungwe has been appointed President of Zimbabwe’s Court of Appeal in a wide-ranging reorganisation of the country’s superior courts.

The changes also see High Court judges Tawanda Chitapi, Happias Zhou and Joseph Mafusire promoted to the Supreme Court.

Hungwe was formally sworn in by Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza during a ceremony held at the Constitutional Court. His appointment follows the completion of his judicial secondment in Lesotho under the Southern African Development Community.

Justice Chitapi took his oath during the same ceremony. He had been unable to attend an earlier swearing-in because of official commitments outside Zimbabwe.

Justice Mavangira was also sworn in after being elevated from the Supreme Court to the Constitutional Court. Like Chitapi, he had missed the previous ceremony while away on official duty.

The appointments strengthen the leadership and composition of Zimbabwe’s superior courts, which include the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and High Court.

The latest reshuffle comes as the judiciary continues to manage its appellate and constitutional workload under a changing senior judicial structure.