Introduction

Today marks the official opening of the legal year 2023. It is an important and special day for us in the judiciary. We mark the day by officially and publicly addressing the generality of the citizenry and the communities that we serve.
The Hon Chief Justice is addressing all of us from the Constitutional Court in Harare while the Deputy Chief Justice is presiding over a similar event in Bulawayo. The Hon Gawe JCC is in

Mutare while the Judge President is in Chinhoyi. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is therefore my singular, but most underserved honour to address all of you gathered here today and through you, the people of Masvingo..
As you all know, it is the time honoured etiquette of the judiciary not to make public addresses at all. The judiciary speaks to the public only on the law which it discusses through the medium of its judgments. This antiquated tradition is maintained, and necessarily so, to protect and enhance the impartiality value that attaches to the judicial office. Judges must only speak publicly on the law and even then, only to the extent that this is necessary to resolve a dispute that has been placed before them.