Tributes have been paid to the immediate past-president of the International Bar Association (IBA) Sternford Moyo, who died on 5 July.

A joint statement from the current IBA president Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama and Dr Mark Ellis (IBA executive director) described him as “a man of great courage and integrity”.

Moyo, a former chair of the IBA’s Human Rights Institute, became IBA president in 2021.

During his term of office, the IBA published two reports designed to help the legal profession across the world to tackle bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

‘Inspirational figure’

Beyond the IBA, he was senior partner and chairman of the law firm Scanlen & Holderness in Zimbabwe and had held leadership positions as President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe and President of the Southern African Development Community Lawyers’ Association (SADCLA).

“An inspirational figure, admired and liked by so many, his departing is a big loss for our IBA and IBAHRI families,” the IBA leaders said.

“We sadly pay tribute to the first IBA president of African lineage, who only recently celebrated being admitted in 2022 as a Freeman of the City of London in recognition of his devotion to the rule of law,” they added.