Irene Mambilima

**Irene Chirwa Mambilima** (March 31, 1952 – June 20, 2021) be de Chief Justice of Zambia from 2015 till she die in 2021. Na she serve as de Chairperson for de Electoral Commission of Zambia wey na she preside over de 2006 den 2011 general elections plus de January 2015 presidential by-election. Na she dey part of several election observer missions for countries like Liberia, Kenya, Mozambique, den Seychelles. Na she get oda international assignments wey dey include she serve as Sessional Judge for de Supreme Court of The Gambia insyd 2003. Na Mambilima sit for de International Board of de International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) as dema Director for de Africa Region. She sanso be member for several professional associations wey dey include de Zambia Association for Women Judges, de Editorial Board Council of Law Reporting, de Child Fund (Zambia), Women in Law Southern Africa, den de Council of de Institution of Advanced Legal Education.

Dem appoint Mambilima as Chief Justice and  National Assembly unanimously ratify am insyd February 2015, na dis make am de country ein first female Chief Justice.

## Ein education den background
Ein poppie, Kezias Chirwa, be bricklayer, den ein mommie, Nelia Ngulube born Mambilima for Chiwoko village insyd de modern-day Eastern Province. Na she grow up for de underprivileged Matero district of Lusaka, wer na she go school. 

She get Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from de University of Zambia (1976), wey be Post Graduate Diploma in Law Practice for de Law Practice Institute (wey now be known as de Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education, ZIALE), den she get Master for Laws (LL.M.) for de School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1977). Na dem admit am for de Zambian Bar insyd 1977, den dat same year, dem sana appoint am as de State Advocate under de Attorney General's Chambers. Na she rise thru all dema ranks, wey she dey work insyd different positions like Director of Legal Aid, High Court Judge, Supreme Court Judge, den Deputy Chief Justice.

## Supreme Court
For 2002, dem elevate am to de Supreme Court bench. While she dey serve as dema Supreme Court Judge, dem second am to de Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as Chairperson for 2005. For dat position, she dey preside over 2006 General Elections. Insyd 2008, dem bell am back from ECZ den appoint am as Deputy Chief Justice. During ein time as Deputy Chief Justice, na dem san second am to ECZ make she preside over dema 2011 General Elections den de 2015 Presidential by-election. Dem appoint am as Chief Justice for February 2015 den she now take oath for office insyd State House on March 2, 2015. 

### Early decisions
Two of Justice Mambilima ein most high-profile decisions center for de tribunals top constituted to investigate alleged corruption den abuse of office by de former Transport den Communications Minister for de Rupiah Banda administration den de former Director of Public Prosecutions for de Michael Sata administration insyd.

De tribunal to investigate Dora Siliya, former Transport den Communications Minister, be established to investigate allegations dat she award contracts to two firms without following laid down procedures for violation of Parliamentary den Ministerial Code of Conduct Act insyd. Dem set up de tribunal for February 2009 insyd, den ein published findings found Siliya insyd breach of multiple statutes, but left de resolution for de president ein hands insyd. Siliya no face prosecution.  

For de case of de former Director of Public Prosecutions insyd, Mutembo Nchito, for March 16, 2015, Justice Mambilima swear in four members of de tribunal wey President Edgar Lungu appoint dem to investigate am give alleged misconduct. Nchito apply give Judicial Review of de tribunal proceedings, den de High Court grant a stay. Upon appeal by de state Justice Mambilima reserved ruling for de matter top to a later date. Dem still no resolve de tribunal proceedings.      

## Electoral Commission of Zambia

### Chairperson
Justice Mambilima be first wey chairperson of de Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) appoint am for 2005 insyd, a position wey she hold until March 2008. She serve as member of de commission between 1994 den 1996. Dem later re-appoint am as Chair for February 2011 insyd den parliament ratify am a month later. Dis follow de resignation of ein successor Justice Florence Mumba during de controversy wey see denn Executive Director Daniel Kalale suspended den later dismiss for unspecified grounds top. A workers ein strike precipitate Justice Mumba ein resignation against ein leadership. Mambilima ein re-appointment by President Rupiah Banda, dem see am as a move to restore confidence for de commission insyd, though speculation abound dat government fan de confusion to force out Justice Mumba; a charge dat government deny am.

Various opposition party leaders den de leading private newspaper see Justice Mambilima as government friendly, den dis, dem illustrate insyd de run up to de 2011 general elections wen she den de commission cam under heavy criticism give de decision to print ballot papers for South Africa insyd. De Government Printing Department indicate ein lack of capacity to complete de task, den insyd de subsequent procurement process Universal Print Group (Pty) Ltd. of Durban, South Africa, dem award de tender. Dem see dis move as a scheme give de ruling MMD to pre-mark ballots for a bid insyd to rig de elections for demma favour insyd. Der be multiple allegations of corruption, but dem no launch official investigation anaa de Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) validate am, den ECZ stand for ein decision to use de firm. 

### 2006 general elections
Dem hold de 2006 general elections for 28 September top. Opposition leader Michael Sata take one early lead for de count but as de majority of results cam for ein position insyd slip to third plus de incumbent President Levy Mwanawasa wey take a commanding lead. Dis announcement trigger protest by Sata's supporters for Lusaka insyd, wey later spread to Kitwe, one industrial hub for de copper mining region insyd. Armed police meet protests plus force den de electoral commission delay de announcement of more results sekof de violence.

Sata alleged fraud wey dey cite dat 400,000 votes for ein strongholds insyd, dem unaccount give for de ongoing tally insyd, den vow to challenge de results. Justice Mambilima confirm dat de commission go investigate de complaints, but none be substantiated. Mwanawasa emerge victorious, wey e secure a second term for office insyd plus 1,177,846 votes to Michael Sata ein 804,748. De president ein ruling party, de *Movement for Multi-Party Democracy* (MMD), secure 45% of de seats for parliament insyd, plus de remainder split among de remaining parties. Dem swear am into office for October 3, 2006 top, den serve until ein death for August 19, 2008 top. 

### 2008 presidential by-elections
Following de death of President Mwanawasa for office insyd, dem bell a special presidential by-election to fill de vacancy. De main contenders wer de country's vice-president Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata den Hakainde Hichilema. Once again der wer allegations of rigging by de ruling party, wey de electoral commission help am. Justice Mambilima no oversee dem elections as ECZ chair as she take up ein new position as Deputy Chief Justice. Ein successor Justice Florence Mumba defend de commission ein work for difficult den unprecedented circumstances insyd, den assure de nation dat dem go conduct elections for a credible manner insyd. Rupiah Banda win by a narrow margin, den opposition protest similar to those insyd 2006 ensued. Dis no change de outcome anaa compel de commission to call give a recount. Dem swear in Banda as president for November 2, 2008 top, plus ein term dey end for 2011 insyd.       

De losing candidate, Michael Sata, continue to seek a recount den take ein petition to court, wey de case make am to de Supreme Court. For ein ruling insyd, Justice Mambilima throw out de petition, wey she declare "*...the application is refused...with costs*." De court deem de petition premature since dem give no evidence to support a recount. Sata discontinue ein court action.            

### 2011 general elections
Upon de conclusion of Banda ein term for office insyd, dem hold a general election for September 20, 2011 top, den as early results cam thru, opposition leader Michael Sata lead. Later dem show for ECZ ein official website top dat Sata wide ein lead for 133 out of 150 constituencies insyd but dem later take de site offline plus de commission dey claim dem hack am den dat de results no be official. Dis lead to one outcry dat de commission indeed dey work plus de ruling party to rig de election for Banda ein favour.  

Justice Mambilima later appear for national television to confirm de election results, a first give a sitting ECZ chairperson. She sanso appeal give calm as tallying continue thru de night. For September 23, 2011 top, dem confirm Michael Sata as de president-elect. Days later dem reveal am dat outgoing president Rupiah Banda resist conceding defeat den Justice Mambilima threaten resignation for protest insyd. Dem largely no verify but accept lore among Zambians despite Justice Mambilima ein protestations.

After dem usher de new government insyd, she bell give dem to help decentralise ECZ, dey allow dem to hire full-time employees at district level to improve efficiencies den fund am appropriately. For de aftermath insyd of dem polls dem largely praise Mambilima give de commission ein conduct. Dem see am as tough den no dey yield for de face of political pressure insyd. Howeva, plus a slew of parliamentary results later overturn thru de courts for various grounds top wey dey include electoral malpractice, dem question am weda ECZ den oda bodies wer correct insyd dey declare de polls free den fair. 

### 2015 presidential by-elections
Dem hold a presidential by-election for January 20, 2015 top, wey follow de death insyd office of President Michael Sata. Dem tightly contest de election between de ruling Patriotic Front (PF) den opposition *United Party for National Development* (UPND), de parties dat eventually finish first den runner-up, respectively. Plus a charged atmosphere den violence seemingly imminent, Justice Mambilima take a firm stand den warn de two front-runners against dey try to intimidate electoral staff. Justice Mambilima, wey dem sometimes bell am Zambia ein 'iron lady' insyd reference to ein firmness, sanso warn against dey claim electoral victory before de official announcement den inciting premature celebration among supporters. De UPND write to Justice Mambilima, dey claim electoral malpractice by de PF den dey ask am not to declare a winner, a request de Commission no indulge. Wen dem Edgar Lungu winner, de UPND accuse de Electoral Commission of conniving plus de PF to manipulate de results, one allegation dat Justice Mambilima dismiss. She argue dat de process be transparent den de UPND represent at every stage den go therefore sanso be party to de rigging dem dey accuse de Commission of. De following month, de UPND support Justice Mambilima ein ratification as Chief Justice.       

## Illness den death
On 10 June 2021, Mambilima travelled to Egypt on official business and fell ill. She died in a private hospital in Cairo on 20 June.

## References

## External links

* Election Commission of Zambia for the 2011 election
* Election Commission of Zambia for the 2015 Election
* Judiciary of Zambia