Elizabeth Muyovwe


Elizabeth Nkombo Chona Muyovwe, commonly known as Elizabeth Muyovwe, is a Zambian Supreme Court Justice since 30 October 2010.

Background and education

She was born in 1956. Her father is the late Mainza Chona, one-time Vice President of Zambia and Zambia's ambassador to China. In 1979, she graduated from the University of Zambia, School of Law, with a Bachelor of Laws. She was admitted to Zambia Bar in 1981.

Work history in Zambia

For a period of six years, from 1981 until 1987, she worked for the Zambian Ministry of Legal Affairs, as a State Attorney and as an Assistant Senior Legal Aid Counsel. She then was hired by Lima Bank Limited, as a Senior Legal Officer, serving there from 1988 until 1991. She concurrently served as a part-time research associate for "Women and Law in Southern Africa", between 1989 and 1993. She was the Vice Chairperson of the Lands Tribunal from 1996 until 1998, and served as the Director of the Legal Aid Clinic for Women between 1991 and 1998.
She lectured, on a part-time basis at the , from 1999 until 2003, lecturing in the area of domestic relations. In 1998, she was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Zambia, responsible for the High Court in Livingstone, Zambia. In 2010, president Rupiah Banda appointed her to the Supreme Court and her appointment was ratified by parliament on 30 October 2010.

Work history at the United Nations

In 2002, Justice Elizabeth Muyovwe was appointed as an Alternate Judge of the United Nations Special Court for Sierra Leone.