By Abigail Chaponda in London, United Kingdom
Judiciary Chief Registrar Charles Kafunda has said there is need to use technology to support case management techniques as well as setting appropriate performance targets and monitoring if the Judiciary is to reduce on the backlog of cases, that the judiciary currently faces.
And Mr. Kafunda said the Hon. Chief Justice Mrs. Irene C. Mambilima and the Judiciary have placed clearance of the backlog of cases and judgments at the top of their priorities. The Chief Justice has since constituted a committee to look into workable solutions to address the issue.
Mr. Kafunda was speaking in an interview at Zambia House after paying a courtesy call on Mrs. Patricia S. Chanda, Charge d’ Affaires at the Zambia High Commission in London. He was accompanied by Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Kenneth Mulife, Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate John Mbuzi and Lusaka Resident Magistrate Alice Nyirenda.
Mr. Kafunda led a delegation from Magistrates and Judges Association of Zambia (MAJAZ) attending a training programme on Judicial Case Management and Ethics conducted by the Civil Service College of London in partnership with the Commonwealth Magistrate and Judges Association held in London. He said the training was part of the capacity building programme instituted by the judiciary aimed at enhancing case management and reducing case backlog in the country.
“We have a problem with backlog of cases. The overall objectives of the training was to look at the principles and techniques for the development and management of a modern, efficient, fair and transparent systems, not only from the Court’s perspective but also considering the obligations and responsibilities of others involved in the administration of justice,” he said.
He said the training included a comprehensive overview of lessons learned from recent justice system reforms designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of judicial administration and that the training covered the scope of application and principles of judicial ethics.
He appreciated that the United Kingdom is one of the countries that have succeeded to deal with backlog and has significantly reduced on accumulation of cases adding that it was important to learn good practices from the UK.
