Welcome to another season of fair rulings

As we are in a new year, Judge Mbadwa and the citizen’s court called People’s Tribunal, welcome you into another season of fair trials and rule of citizen’s law. The year that ended was as challenging as it was interesting.

Some organisations and individuals appeared more than once before this tribunal, an indication that they grossly violated the rights of the citizens.

The judge hopes that the Ministry of Finance, Escom, the presidency, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Local Government and city councils will not be summoned by his court for the same issues that took most of the court’s time because officials deliberately chose to play their tune and not the one called by the people.

Just as the tribunal opened the court with a declaration on what it stands for, honourable Mbadwa would like to repeat that statement so that it sinks into the minds of those who seek arbitration and the perpetrators of crimes against the citizens.

Firstly, the power of this court to adjudicate cases or issue orders is not derived by the conventional judicial systems as defined by the Republican Constitution, neither is it guided by international law as is the case with the International Criminal Court and other adjudicating agencies.

This is just a citizen court that looks at issues affecting the citizens and whose powers to dispense justice is defined by public interest. This court, therefore, can summon anyone, , I repeat anyone, regardless of whether they enjoy immunity elsewhere or not.

As you remember that the President, Mapuya, appeared by the tribunal more than once, so did appear Minister of Finance Gado Gandall and fellow Cabinet ministers.

We are also not compelled to follow archaic protocols and decorum of those courts of wigs and suits, including citing of incoherent sections and subsections to show how good one knows the law. This is the court of the people where vain philosophy and rudiments of the world and its wisdom cannot win one a case.

The judge hopes 2016 will be a year where the citizens will enjoy their full rights as bestowed onto them by the constitution and various charters advocating the same which this country recognises.

The judge wishes you a happy New Year.