Gwaunza Becomes Zimbabwe's First Female Chief Justice

Gwaunza has been appointed as Zimbabwe's first female Chief Justice, succeeding Luke Malaba, who retired after reaching the constitutional age limit. The announcement was made in an official government statement on Thursday by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya.

At 73 years old, Gwaunza has had a notable legal career spanning nearly four decades, beginning as an admitted legal practitioner in 1987. She became a High Court judge in 1998 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2002.

Additionally, she served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Gwaunza is recognized as one of the first two black women to graduate with a law degree in Zimbabwe and co-founded the Women Law Southern Africa Research Project, which focuses on advancing women's rights and legal reform in the region.