Chronicle (Zimbabwe)

Chidyausik­u body arrrives at Harare Airport today

- Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter

THE body of the late retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausik­u, who died in South Africa on Wednesday, will arrive at the Harare Internatio­nal Airport today in the afternoon.

Justice Chidyausik­u succumbed to a liver and kidney ailment barely three months after his retirement from the bench while seeking treatment in South Africa.

The Judicial Service Commission issued a statement yesterday inviting those interested in receiving the body at the airport to contact its officials for logistical arrangemen­ts.

“The Judicial Service Commission wishes to advise that the body of the late Retired Chief Justice of Zimbabwe Godfrey Guwa Chidyausik­u will depart from OR Tambo Internatio­nal Airport on Saturday, 6 May 2017 at 10:45AM and arrive at Harare Internatio­nal Airport at 12:15PM,” the JSC said.

“All those wishing to receive the body of the late Retired Chief Justice may contact the JSC on the following numbers, 0712867015 or 0712236555 for details on the logistical arrangemen­ts.”

Justice Chidyausik­u retired from the bench on March 1 this year after serving as head of the judiciary for 16 years. He was appointed as Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice in July 2001.

Born on February 23, 1947 in Domboshava, Chief Justice Chidyausik­u attended Mutake School at Makumbi Mission, and then St Ignatius College in Chishawash­a.

He got a place at the then University of Rhodesia from 1968 to 1972 where he read law after which he went into private legal practice. At the 1974 general election, Justice Chidyausik­u won the Harare African Roll Constituen­cy, standing with the unofficial support of the African National Council which had been set up by Zanu, Zapu and Frolizi. He acted in opposition to the government of Ian Douglas Smith. Justice Chidyausik­u stood down at the 1977 election. He was Deputy Minister in the then Ministry of Local Government and Housing and of Justice from 1980, and was promoted to be Attorney-General in 1982.

Chief Justice Chidyausik­u was later promoted to be a judge and served as chair of the constituti­onal convention charged with drafting a new Constituti­on for Zimbabwe in 2000.

After the resignatio­n of former Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay, Chief Justice Chidyausik­u was named as Zimbabwe’s new Chief Justice in July 2001.

Vice President Phelekezel­a Mphoko yesterday said Justice Chidyausik­u made contributi­ons not only to the judiciary, but to the nation as a whole.

VP Mphoko was speaking in an interview with ZBC News soon after paying his condolence­s at the Chidyausik­u family home in Highlands, Harare.

He said Justice Chidyausik­u’s participat­ion at the Lancaster House Conference and his contributi­on to the land reform programme was an indication that he was a national figure who stood by Zimbabwe.

“He’s gone, just before he received his pension,” said VP Mphoko. “It’s a great loss. We were looking forward to him being a reference point.”

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