Priscilla Chigumba Biography | Car Accident, Husband, Children, Education, Career as a High Court Judge, Notable Rulings, Career as ZEC Chairperson, Awards

Career as High Court Judge

After graduating, Priscilla Chigumba joined Gollop and Blank law firm in 1994, where she practised as a lawyer for six years. She then worked as an assistant company secretary at PG Industries before establishing her own law firm. In 2004, she joined the Justice and Legal Affairs Ministry as a magistrate. Throughout her career, Chigumba served as a resident magistrate, provincial magistrate, and senior professional research assistant in the Office of the Chief Justice. She was sworn in as a Justice of the High Court on December 20, 2012, during the Government of National Unity era.

Notable Rulings

Suspending the police ban on demonstrations

In 2016, Priscilla Chigumba overturned a two-week ban on protests issued by the police, citing the deteriorating security situation. The ban, imposed by the controversial Statutory Instrument 101A of 2016, prohibited all protests in the Harare Central policing area. The ban was challenged in court by Tendai Biti, the leader of the PDP party, on behalf of the opposition parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA). In her ruling, High Court judge Priscilla Chigumba suspended the police ban for seven days.

Allegations of soliciting a bribe

Priscilla Chigumba faced allegations of soliciting a $20,000 bribe from one of the parties involved in a case she was presiding over. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), led by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, questioned Chigumba regarding the complaint. The JSC had received a written complaint from Mr. Kanokanga, who accused Chigumba of sending an agent to solicit the bribe. Chigumba was obligated to respond to the allegations, as she was seeking higher office and the JSC was troubled by the accusations.

Mawarire clearance

In November 2017, Priscilla Chigumba cleared Evan Mawarire, a well-known pastor, activist, and leader of the #ThisFlag citizens’ campaign. Mawarire had been accused of attempting to overthrow the government and inciting public violence. Justice Chigumba found no evidence supporting the allegations of attempting to overthrow the government or incite violence. She stated that Mawarire had consistently advocated for peace during his campaigns.

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Career as ZEC Chairperson

Priscilla Chigumba succeeded Justice Rita Makarau as the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. She was appointed on January 31, 2018. In January 2024, President Mnangagwa reappointed Priscilla Chigumba as the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for another six-year term in accordance with Section 238 (5) of the Constitution. The reappointment took effect from February 1.

Accusations of bias and rigging in the July 2018 Elections

In June 2018, Priscilla Chigumba faced accusations of bias towards Zanu-PF and Emmerson Mnangagwa by Zimbabweans, particularly on social media, after a photo of her wearing a Zimbabwe Flag scarf circulated. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission dismissed the photo as fake and photoshopped, attributing it to criminal elements attempting to disrupt the election process.

In October 2019, journalist Edmund Kudzayi released a video alleging that the 2018 election was possibly rigged by Emmerson Mnangagwa with the assistance of Priscilla Chigumba.

Awards

In 2011, Priscilla Chigumba was awarded the Women Human Rights Defender Award by the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association. Other recipients of the award include Justice Emilia Muchawa, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Justice Rita Makarau, and Professor J Stewart and Jessie Majome, who are legal practitioners.

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Car Accident

On 1 September 2024, Priscilla Chigumba, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), was involved in a car accident along the Harare-Chirundu Road. According to government spokesperson Nick Mangwana, Chigumba’s high-end Toyota Land Cruiser was struck by a haulage tanker while travelling from Chinhoyi. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, and Chigumba was unharmed.

However, another account from a motorist who was also caught up in the crash tells a different story. This motorist claims that Chigumba’s Land Cruiser unexpectedly veered into oncoming traffic from behind a truck. The motorist, driving a Blue Honda Fit and maintaining a safe distance, noticed the accident unfolding and began to brake and steer to the left.

According to this account, a petrol tanker, trying to avoid the Land Cruiser, swerved off the road and collided with the Land Cruiser’s front right side. The impact caused the Land Cruiser to spin off the road. As the tanker’s cab was heading towards the motorist who had attempted to avoid the collision, it struck the right side door of the Honda Fit.

References

1. Mrs Justice Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba (Chairperson)
2. Priscilla Makanyara Maidei Chigumba
3. Breaking : Justice Chigumba re-appointed ZEC Chairperson
4. ‘So Chigumba caused the accident?’ Zimbabweans React After Motorist Involved In Accident With ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba Recounts Details Of The Crash