Gweru Courts Take Major Step Towards Digitalisation

Gweru — The Gweru Magistrates’ Court has begun a three-day training programme for Judicial Service Commission (JSC) staff members, litigants and key justice-sector stakeholders as it intensifies the rollout of its Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) at Magistrates’ Courts.

The training, which began on Saturday and is scheduled to end on Monday, July 27, 2026, brings together court officials, litigants and external stakeholders including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) and local legal practitioners.

The training is aimed at equipping JSC staff, litigants and stakeholders with the requisite skills to navigate and effectively use the IECMS ahead of its implementation at all Magistrates' Courts in Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces.

The IECMS is designed to facilitate the digital filing of court processes, electronic case tracking, notifications, virtual court processes and remote case management as Zimbabwe's judiciary moves away from traditional paper-based systems.

Speaking during the training in Gweru, JSC Deputy Secretary for Court Services Dr Rosalie Kumbirai Katsande said the digitisation of the country's courts had been a long-term programme that was now being progressively extended to Magistrates' Courts.

"I am with the Judicial Service in charge of court services. We have a programme that we have been working on for some time now, digitisation of courts, where we have deployed a system that is called the Integrated Electronic Case Management System. Digital filing of court processes," she said.

Dr. Katsande said the JSC had adopted a phased approach to digitisation, beginning with the Superior Courts before moving to Magistrates' Courts.

"We took a phased approach. We started with the Superior Courts and we have now since moved into the Magistrates' Courts, which are the lower courts," she said.

The IECMS was officially launched by the JSC on May 1, 2022, marking a major shift towards digital justice delivery in Zimbabwe.

The move was partly influenced by challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in physical court closures and highlighted the need for technology-enabled solutions that could allow justice to continue during disruptions.

The digitisation programme was also aligned with the government's National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which prioritised the automation and digital transformation of public services.

The IECMS platform was developed using eCase software developed by Synergy International Systems and has been introduced progressively across the country's court system.

The initial rollout on May 1, 2022, covered the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and the Commercial Division of the High Court.

The programme was subsequently expanded in 2023 to include the Labour Court, Administrative Court and the General Division of the High Court.

The JSC then began progressively decentralising the system to provincial and regional Magistrates' Courts during 2025 and 2026, bringing the digital transformation of the justice system closer to communities across the country.

The Gweru training is part of the ongoing phased rollout at Magistrates' Courts, with the current implementation targeting all Magistrates' Courts in Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces.

Dr. Katsande said the JSC had also adopted a phased approach within the Magistrates' Courts, progressively covering provinces as the system is introduced.

She said the current training programme was intended to equip court employees with the skills required to operate the system, while also familiarising litigants and external stakeholders with its functions.

"We are true to that mantra, 'leave no place and no one behind'. So, we've called in stakeholders today to give them a glimpse of how the system works," Dr Katsande said.

She said the training of stakeholders would be followed by a publicity and education programme in which JSC officials would engage stakeholders in their respective areas to provide further guidance on how to use the IECMS.

The system's core functions include e-filing, which allows lawyers and litigants to submit court documents electronically, case tracking, which enables users to monitor the progress of cases, and virtual hearings that allow eligible participants to attend proceedings remotely.

Dr. Katsande said the digitisation programme was aimed at bringing justice closer to the people by reducing the need for physical visits to court for processes that could be completed electronically.

"The main advantage is that we are just bringing justice to your doorstep," she said.

She said registered users would be able to follow the progress of their cases and receive notifications on developments.

"For once you are registered in IECMS, you get notifications, you can follow your case. You can also actually do virtual hearings, especially for now we are focused mainly on civil matters, as long as you have the requisite gadgets and access to the internet," she said.

Gweru Magistrates' Court staff participate in an IECMS workshop this Saturday. Picture by Chamatara Chekeche. 

However, Dr. Katsande said the JSC remained mindful of the digital divide and would ensure that people without internet access or the necessary devices were not excluded from accessing justice.

She said court facilities would remain available to assist users who could not access the system from home.

The transition is expected to see Magistrates' Courts gradually move from paper-based processes towards a paperless environment.

"Once we have digitised and we have deployed IECMS, then we're moving from paperful to paperless," Dr. Katsande said.

She clarified, however, that criminal matters would continue to require physical appearances in court, while virtual hearings would mainly be available for eligible civil matters.

The training also covers all categories of court employees, from judicial officers and clerks of court to interpreters, office assistants, security personnel, accounts staff, human resources, procurement, administration and drivers.

Dr. Katsande said it was important for every member of staff to understand the system because each employee could potentially be the first point of contact for members of the public seeking assistance.

"Whether you're a security guard or whether you're a clerk, everybody has to know the functionalities of IECMS," she said.
She said the digitisation drive was in line with the JSC's vision of providing world-class justice and keeping pace with technological developments.

"We are moving with the times. If you check our vision, we talk about world-class justice, and this is where the world is going. Digitisation is where the world is going.

"You can't talk about world-class if you are not following the trends," Dr. Katsande said.

She said the success of the IECMS rollout would depend on the participation and acceptance of all stakeholders in the justice delivery system.

"It's a change, and every change has to be managed. It's important that our stakeholders are on board with us," she said.

Dr. Katsande also said the JSC was committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities were not excluded from the digital transformation of the justice system, noting that the institution had sign-language interpreters and had been deliberately expanding sign-language training.