Staff Reporter

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has officially extended the retirement age for judicial officers from 65 to 70 years in a move aimed at retaining experience and ensuring continuity within the judiciary.

The change, announced through Statutory Instrument 42 of 2025 — titled Judicial Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (No. 3) — was published last Friday and takes effect on May 1.

The amendment was made with the concurrence of the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, in accordance with the provisions of the Judicial Service Act.

According to the statutory instrument, judicial officers who were appointed before May 1, 2025, will still have a pensionable age of 65 but may opt to continue serving up to the age of 70 and receive full pension benefits.

Retirement between 65 and 70 will be considered early retirement.

“For those appointed on or after the effective date, the pensionable age will be 70 years. This shift effectively standardises a longer working tenure for future appointees,” reads part of the regulation.

In line with the new provisions, the Paymaster is now required to submit an annual list by June 1 each year of all judicial officers set to reach either 65 or 70 years of age in the following year.

This allows the JSC to plan succession and staffing needs accordingly.

Additionally, the regulations provide flexibility in cases where judicial officers may still be valuable to the bench past age 65.

The JSC may permit such officers to continue serving in one-year increments, provided they do not exceed the 70-year limit.

There is also provision for early retirement, allowing members to voluntarily retire from age 60 onwards, with three months’ notice and approval from the Commission.

Furthermore, members may be required to retire early if found permanently unfit following a medical board examination or if deemed incapable of performing duties effectively for reasons unrelated to health.

The move is expected to preserve institutional knowledge and judicial stability while providing clear guidelines for early retirement or extensions in service where necessary.