About The Judiciary
Dedicated to upholding the rule of law with integrity, professionalism, and accountability for all.
Our Mission
To administer justice in a fair, accountable and accessible manner, and ensure adherence to principles for upholding the rule of law, advance and promote integrity of the court
Our Vision
An institution that ensures efficient, timely, accessible justice for all
Our Values
We are guided by Impartiality, Ethics, Accountability, Professionalism, Coutesy, Respect for the Lae, Customer Focussed
A Brief History
The Judiciary is the system of courts that interprets, defends and applies the law according to the Constitution. It is the mechanism for dispute resolution, and applies the law to the facts of each case. Zanzibar applies a Dual Legal system, with a formal court system for adjudicating matters along the Islamic faith applying Islamic law (Kadhi’s Court), and a secular court for non-Muslim matters and adjudicating criminal justice.
The current Zanzibar Judiciary is established by the Zanzibar Constitution 1984 (plus provisions in the Constitution (2010 Edition). In the Constitution, Chapter 6, Part 1 (Sections 93 – 97) provides for operations of High Court; Part II provides for Court of Appeal (Sections 98 – 99; and Part III (Section 100) provides for operations of other Courts. The Kadhi’s Court Act (1985) with its Amendments (Kadhi’s Court Act 2017) establishes the Kadhi’s Court and its operational framework.
Judiciary Leadership
Hon. Khamis Ramadhan Abdalla
Chief Justice of Zanzibar
Hon. kai Bashir Mbaruk
Chief Court Administrator
Registrars
Hon. Valentina Andrew Katema
High Court Registrar
Hon. Abdul-rahman Omar Bakar
Registrar of Kadhi
Our Mandate & Independence
The Judiciary of Zanzibar is an independent arm of the state, established by the Constitution to interpret the law and administer justice without fear, favor, or prejudice. Our mandate is to resolve disputes fairly and justly, protect the constitutional rights of individuals, and hold the other branches of government accountable to the law. This independence is the cornerstone of a free and democratic society, ensuring that justice is not swayed by political pressure or public opinion.