ZIMBABWE ABOLISHES DEATH PENALTY AS PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA SIGNS HISTORIC BILL INTO LAW
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Nicolas Adekeye / 4 months
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- 2 min read
Zimbabwe has taken a significant step towards upholding human rights by abolishing the death penalty, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa signing the Death Penalty Abolition Act into law. This move comes after Parliament pushed to amend the Criminal Law Code, Criminal Procedure Law, and the Defence Act, which previously allowed the death penalty in cases of murder committed under aggravating circumstances. The abolition of the death penalty is a welcome development for the over 60 prisoners on death row, who will now have their sentences commuted. Zimbabwe has not carried out an execution since 2005, and this move aligns the country with international human rights standards. President Mnangagwa, who has expressed his opposition to capital punishment, shared his personal experience of being sentenced to death for blowing up a train during the 1960s war, only to have his sentence commuted to 10 years in prison. This experience has likely influenced his stance on the death penalty. The Death Penalty Abolition Act ensures that no court shall impose a death sentence, and instead, shall impose alternative competent sentences. The Supreme Court is also prohibited from confirming death sentences, and must substitute them with alternative sentences. International bodies such as Amnesty International have long advocated for the removal of the death penalty, arguing that it violates the right to life. Lucia Masuka, Amnesty International Zimbabwe’s Executive Director, praised Zimbabwe’s decision, stating that it is a “beacon of hope for the abolitionist movement in the region”. Zimbabwe joins 24 other African countries, including Zambia, that have fully abolished the death penalty. This move is a significant step towards upholding human rights and promoting justice and compassion in the country.