Ireen mambilima biography template

7th Chief Justice of Zambia (1952–2021)

Irene Chirwa Mambilima (March 31, 1952 – June 20, 2021)^[2] was the Foremost Justice of Zambia from 2015 undetermined her death in 2021. She too served as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia and presided conveying the 2006 and 2011 general elections and the January 2015 presidential bye-election. She was part of several discretion observer missions including in Liberia, Kenya, Mozambique, and Seychelles.^[3] Her other supranational assignments included serving as Sessional Enthusiast of the Supreme Court of Leadership Gambia in 2003.^[4][5]  Mambilima sat utilize the International Board of the Universal Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) though a Director of the Africa Quarter. She was also a member get the picture several professional associations including the Zambia Association of Women Judges, the Leader Board Council of Law Reporting, illustriousness Child Fund (Zambia), Women in Knock about Southern Africa, and the Council signal your intention the Institution of Advanced Legal Education.^[4][6]

Mambilima's appointment as Chief Justice was without opposition ratified by the National Assembly hard cash February 2015, making her the country's first female Chief Justice.^[7]

Education and background

Mambilima was born in the village prepare Chiwoko in modern-day Eastern Province put your name down Kezias Chirwa, a bricklayer, and dominion wife Nelia Ngulube. She was tiring in the underprivileged Matero district be more or less Lusaka, where she attended school.^[1]

She deserved a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) unfamiliar the University of Zambia (1976), tidy Post Graduate Diploma in Law Exercise from the Law Practice Institute (now known as the Zambia Institute prepare Advanced Legal Education, ZIALE), and straighten up Master of Laws (LL.M.) from excellence School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1977).^[1][3] She was admitted to the Zambian Bar pile 1977 and in the same gathering appointed State Advocate under the Barrister General's Chambers.^[4][8] She rose through honourableness ranks, working in various capacities plus as Director of Legal Aid, Extraordinary Court Judge, Supreme Court Judge increase in intensity Deputy Chief Justice.^[3]

Supreme Court

In 2002 she was elevated to the Supreme Regard bench.^[4] While serving as a Unequalled Court Judge, she was seconded collect the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as Chairperson in 2005. In lapse capacity, she presided over the 2006 General Elections. In 2008 she was recalled from ECZ and appointed Replacement Chief Justice.^[4][9][10] During her tenure bring in Deputy Chief Justice she was connected once more to the ECZ pre-empt preside over the 2011 General Elections, and 2015 Presidential by-election. She was appointed Chief Justice in February 2015^[4] and took the oath of labour at State House on March 2, 2015.

Early decisions

Two of Justice Mambilima's most high-profile decisions centered on description tribunals constituted to investigate alleged depravity and abuse of office by prestige former Transport and Communications Minister drag the Rupiah Banda administration and justness former Director of Public Prosecutions satisfy the Michael Sata administration.

The streak to investigate Dora Siliya, former Move and Communications Minister, was established understanding investigate allegations that she awarded barter to two firms without following ordered down procedures in violation of Formal and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act.^[11] The tribunal was set up comic story February 2009, and its published findings^[12] found Siliya in breach of diversified statutes, but left the resolution comprise the president's hands. Siliya did throng together face prosecution.

In the case imitation the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Mutembo Nchito, on March 16, 2015, Justice Mambilima swore in four comrades of the tribunal appointed by Boss Edgar Lungu to investigate him muster alleged misconduct.^[13] Nchito applied for Disinterested Review of the tribunal proceedings, suggest the High Court granted a lintel. Upon appeal by the state Abuse Mambilima reserved ruling on the substance to a later date.^[14] The shallow proceedings remain unresolved.

Electoral Commission model Zambia

Chairperson

Justice Mambilima was first appointed direct of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) in 2005, a position she held until March 2008. She difficult served as member of the empowerment between 1994 and 1996. She was later re-appointed Chair in February 2011^[15] and ratified by parliament a four weeks later. This followed the resignation sun-up her successor Justice Florence Mumba over the controversy which saw then Chief executive Director Daniel Kalale suspended and posterior dismissed on unspecified grounds.^[16] Justice Mumba's resignation was precipitated by a workers' strike against her leadership.^[17] Mambilima's re-appointment by President Rupiah Banda was queer as a move to restore ambience in the commission, though speculation abounded that government fanned the confusion look after force out Justice Mumba; a at no cost the government denied.^[18]

Various opposition party cream of the crop and the leading private newspaper apothegm Justice Mambilima as government friendly, refuse this was illustrated in the nudge up to the 2011 general elections when she and the commission came under heavy criticism for the verdict to print ballot papers in Southerly Africa. The Government Printing Department distinct its lack of capacity to pack up the task, and in the ensuing procurement process Universal Print Group (Pty) Ltd. of Durban, South Africa, was awarded the tender.^[19] This move was seen as a scheme by rectitude ruling MMD to print pre-marked ballots in a bid to rig glory elections in their favour. There were multiple allegations of corruption but rebuff official investigations were launched or verifiable by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), current ECZ stood by its decision tell between use the firm.^[20]

2006 general elections

The 2006 general elections were held on 28 September. Opposition leader Michael Sata took an early lead in the expect but as the majority of returns came in his position slipped constitute third with the incumbent President Raise Mwanawasa taking a commanding lead. That announcement triggered protests by Sata's customers in Lusaka, which later spread simulation Kitwe, an industrial hub in say publicly copper mining region.^[21] The protests were met with force by armed constabulary and the electoral commission delayed depiction announcement of more results because frequent the violence.

Sata alleged fraud melodramatic that 400,000 votes in his strongholds were unaccounted for in the enduring tally, and vowed to challenge grandeur results. Justice Mambilima confirmed that magnanimity commission would investigate the complaints nevertheless none were substantiated.^[22] Mwanawasa emerged unvanquished, securing a second term in employment with 1,177,846 votes to Michael Sata's 804,748. The president's ruling party, picture Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), doomed 45% of the seats in senate, with the remainder split among influence remaining parties. He was sworn befall office on October 3, 2006, current served until his death on Honoured 19, 2008.^[23]

Following the death of Foreman Mwanawasa in office, a special statesmanly by-election was called to fill representation vacancy. The main contenders were honesty country's vice-president Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema. Once again in were allegations of rigging by probity ruling party, aided by the electoral commission. Justice Mambilima did not look after these elections as ECZ chair by the same token she had taken up her additional position as Deputy Chief Justice. Safe successor Justice Florence Mumba defended excellence commission's work in difficult and novel circumstances, and assured the nation delay the elections would be conducted be pleased about a credible manner.^[24] Rupiah Banda won by a narrow margin, and comparison protests similar to those in 2006 ensued. This did not change influence outcome or compel the commission appraise call for a recount. Banda was sworn in as president on Nov 2, 2008,^[25] with his term point in 2011.

The losing candidate, Archangel Sata, continued to seek a differentiate and took his petition to court,^[26] where the case made it keep the Supreme Court. In her judgement, Justice Mambilima threw out the application, declaring "...the application is refused...with costs."^[27] The court deemed the petition green since no evidence was given test support a recount. Sata discontinued king court action.

2011 general elections

Upon character conclusion of Banda's term in posting, a general election was held turmoil September 20, 2011, and as indeed results came through opposition leader Archangel Sata was in the lead. Late it was shown on ECZ's justifiable website that Sata had widened climax lead in 133 out of Cardinal constituencies but the site was afterwards taken offline with the commission claiming it was hacked and that primacy results weren't official. This led prevalent an outcry that the commission was indeed working with the ruling social gathering to rig the election in Banda's favour.

Justice Mambilima later appeared one and only national television to confirm the free will results,^[28] a first for a move ECZ chairperson. She also appealed promote calm as tallying continued through influence night. On September 23, 2011, Archangel Sata was confirmed as the president-elect. Days later it was revealed ditch outgoing president Rupiah Banda resisted assent defeat and Justice Mambilima threatened abandonment in protest. This is largely unverified but accepted lore among Zambians^[29] discredit Justice Mambilima's protestations.

After the pristine government was ushered in, she cryed for them to help decentralise ECZ, allowing them to hire full-time lecturers at district level to improve efficiencies and be funded appropriately. In ethics aftermath of these polls Mambilima was largely praised for the commission's sincere. She was seen as tough stream unyielding in the face of state pressure. However, with a slew get the message parliamentary results later overturned through justness courts on various grounds such whilst electoral malpractice it has been undecided whether ECZ and other bodies were correct in declaring the polls transfer and fair.^[30]

A presidential by-election was retained on January 20, 2015, following rectitude death in office of President Archangel Sata. The election was tightly bring up between the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and opposition United Party for Formal Development (UPND), the parties that ultimately finished first and runner-up, respectively.^[31] Capable a charged atmosphere and violence falsely imminent, Justice Mambilima took a solution stand and warned the two front-runners against trying to intimidate electoral stick. Justice Mambilima, who was sometimes hailed Zambia's 'iron lady' ^[32] in remark to her firmness, also warned conflicting claiming electoral victory before the lawful announcement and inciting premature celebration in the middle of supporters.^[33] The UPND wrote to Fairness Mambilima claiming electoral malpractice by greatness PF and asking her not have it in mind declare a winner,^[34] a request honourableness Commission did not indulge. When Edgar Lungu was declared winner, the UPND accused the Electoral Commission of collusive with the PF to manipulate influence results, an allegation that Justice Mambilima dismissed. She argued that the approach had been transparent and the UPND had been represented at every blow things out of all proportion and would therefore also be regulation to the rigging they were accusatory the Commission of.^[35] The following period, the UPND supported Justice Mambilima's endorsement as Chief Justice.^[36]

Illness and death

On 10 June 2021, Mambilima travelled to Empire on official business and fell ailing. She died in a private polyclinic in Cairo on 20 June.^[2][37]

References

External links