THE shooting of a magistrate in Kenya has been deemed a wakeup call for Zambian authorities to step up security for Judges and magistrates in the Southern Africa country.

The Magistrates and and Judges Association of Zambia (MAJAZ) is concerned that what happened in Kenya can happen elsewhere, including Zambia, and lives of adjudicators should be protected.

The concerns come after Monica Kivuti, a magistrate at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi, died after being shot by a police officer, Thursday.

Ms Kivuti was presiding over a court hearing when she rejected a bail request for the police officer’s wife, who entered the room and fired at her.

The attacker was shot and killed by other police officers, three of whom were also injured in the incident, abc.net, reported.

MAJAZ president Mwamba Chanda described the death of Ms Kivuti as a frightening reminder for authorities to enhance security for adjudicators in Zambia.

High Court Judge Chanda said yesterday when she led magistrates in signing a book of condolence in honour of magistrate Kivuti at the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court complex.

“We only hope that those who have eyes and ears have seen what has happened in Kenya and we wouldn’t want to wait until such an incident happens in Zambia.

“We are really saddened that a life would be lost when an adjudicator is performing their duties and their functions”.

Judge Chanda told journalists the implication of the shooting incident on the Justice delivery system.

“The implication on the course of justice is that as adjudicators, we have sworn to do justice without fear or favour but where you have the lives of our adjudicators being threatened, already there is fear.

“So, how then are we expected to discharge our functions when we are in fear,” the judge said.

She added that “there is serious need for the security aspect of things to be looked at moving forward”.

The Judge also said right in Zambia, some gunshots were recently fired at a magistrate’s house.

“We have had incidences where our magistrates have been attacked, not very long ago, we had a residence of a magistrate that was shot at, fortunately, that magistrate was not at home,” she said.

“We have had judges whose houses have been broken into. It is very clear that even as you come here, the security that is offered to our magistrates is non-existent”.

And MAJAZ vice-president Judge Edward Musona said the incident in Kenya can happen to any court official and hence the need to improve security.

“The implication is that we are working and living in fear”.

Lusaka chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili, magistrates Mutinta Mwenya, Mbuywana Sinvula, Anna Holland, George Njobvu were among adjudicators who joined in signing the book.