Zimbabwe’s ruling party ZANU PF has declared the late Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Andrew Mutema declared a national hero , the state media ZBC has reported.
The late Justice Mutema whose Chimurenga name was Kingsley Dube Watema died at Mater Dei Hospital last week on Friday after having collapsed the previous day.
Justice Mutema was born on 27 February 1959 and joined the liberation war in November 1977.
He attained basic training in Mozambique in 1978 and after a three months deployment was recalled from the front.
Justice Mutema was deployed to Romania where he was taught physics and anti-aircraft radar.
He was demobilised in 1982 after returning from Romania where he then pursued a career in the judiciary which culminated in his appointment in May 2010 as a judge of the High Court.
JSC secretary Justice Rita Makarau said: “It’s with sadness that I confirm Justice Mutema ’s death.”
She said Justice Mutema joined the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in 1986 as an Assistant Magistrate.
He was appointed a magistrate in 1987 and a regional magistrate in September 1997.
“On 3 November 2004 he was appointed to the post of Senior President of the Administrative Court.
“He was later moved to the Labour Court on 14 December 2007 where he was appointed to the post of Senior President of the Labour Court,” said Justice Makarau.
“On the 20th of May 2010 he was appointed Judge of the High Court in Harare. On the 1st of February 2013, he was appointed to the position of Senior Judge in charge of the High Court, Bulawayo.”
In March, Justice Mutema was appointed to represent Zimbabwe as a principal judge in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.
At the time of Justice Mutema ‘s death, he was the senior judge in charge of the Bulawayo station of the High Court of Zimbabwe.
Justice Mutema is survived by four children.
Mourners are gathered at Number 28 Churchill Avenue, Marlborough in Harare.
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