Judicial Bridge: Zimbabwean Experts Sworn In to Bolster Namibia's High Court

Southerton Business Times
3 days ago
2 min read

Portrait of the three judges — **The three judges**

Windhoek, Namibia-In a move to address a critical judicial staffing crisis, Chief Justice Peter Shivute and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of Namibia have officially sworn in three international judges to the High Court. Among them are two prominent Zimbabwean legal minds, whose three-year tenures began on March 1, 2026.

The recruitment of foreign judges comes after a rigorous local search. The JSC noted that all domestic magistrate applicants for the High Court's civil stream, unfortunately, failed to meet the required criteria during the selection process.

The New Bench: A Profile of Experience

Judge	Origin	Role	Contract Term
David Mangota	Zimbabwe	Acting Judge	3 Years
James Devittie	Zimbabwe	Acting Judge	3 Years
Gabriel Komboni	Botswana	Permanent Judge	2 Years, 5 Months

Meet the Judges

Justice David Mangota: A veteran of the Zimbabwean bench, Mangota recently retired as a Senior Judge of the Bulawayo High Court in early 2025. With a career spanning four decades, including 11 years as the Permanent Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs, he is widely regarded as a "beacon of integrity" in the SADC legal community.

Justice James Devittie: Bringing a unique international perspective, Devittie served as a judge in the UK’s First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) for nearly 20 years. His background in handling complex administrative and human rights cases is expected to be a major asset to Namibia’s pressured civil stream.

Justice Gabriel Komboni: Transitioning from the Gaborone Division of the High Court of Botswana, Komboni enters the Namibian system as a permanent judge on contract. His appointment reinforces the inter-regional exchange of legal expertise.

Addressing a "Critical Point"

At the opening of the 2026 legal year, Chief Justice Shivute warned that the shortage of judges had reached a "critical point." The new appointments are specifically tasked with clearing a massive backlog in the civil stream, where the retirement of long-serving appeal judges in 2025 left significant gaps in the administration of justice.