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1.5 million people are homeless in Zimbabwe
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The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has renewed its call for the repeal of the colonial-era Vagrancy Act, arguing that the law unjustly criminalises homelessness and continues to infringe on the rights of thousands of Zimbabweans.
The Vagrancy Act (Chapter 10:25), which dates back to the colonial era, grants police powers to arrest individuals for merely being homeless and penalises those who assist people living on the streets. Human rights activists have long argued that the law disproportionately targets marginalised communities, worsening the plight of the poor instead of offering them protection or support.
Speaking at the launch of the organisation’s 2024 Annual Report, ZimRights National Director Dzikamai Bere highlighted the devastating impact of the Act on Zimbabwe’s homeless population, which is estimated to exceed one million people.
"We have a Vagrancy Act, a colonial piece of legislation that makes it a criminal offence for you to not have a place to stay," Bere said. "If the police find you on the road, they can arrest and charge you under the Act. About US$1.5 million people are affected by this law. At one point, nine people died in police custody after being arrested as vagrants."
Bere revealed that ZimRights has petitioned Parliament and is actively engaging lawmakers to push for the law’s repeal.
Last year, ZimRights launched a campaign to repeal the Vagrancy Act, focusing particularly on Harare and Chitungwiza, where the number of homeless people continues to rise. Instead of offering solutions, Bere said, authorities have responded with arrests and harassment.
ZimRights National Chairman Takesure Musiiwa echoed the organisation’s concerns, describing the law as an outdated relic of colonial rule with no place in modern Zimbabwe.
"These are policies imposed by former colonial governments to serve their own interests. As an organisation, we are engaging with the government to say let’s review this policy — it is not helping our citizens," Musiiwa said. "We need to replace it with a law that will protect, not punish, vulnerable people."
ZimRights argues that criminalising homelessness fails to address the root causes of poverty and displacement and only deepens the social exclusion of already vulnerable populations.
The renewed call by ZimRights comes amid growing pressure on the government to reform archaic laws that perpetuate human rights violations rather than advance Zimbabwe’s constitutional values of dignity and equality.
The Vagrancy Act (Chapter 10:25), which dates back to the colonial era, grants police powers to arrest individuals for merely being homeless and penalises those who assist people living on the streets. Human rights activists have long argued that the law disproportionately targets marginalised communities, worsening the plight of the poor instead of offering them protection or support.
Speaking at the launch of the organisation’s 2024 Annual Report, ZimRights National Director Dzikamai Bere highlighted the devastating impact of the Act on Zimbabwe’s homeless population, which is estimated to exceed one million people.
"We have a Vagrancy Act, a colonial piece of legislation that makes it a criminal offence for you to not have a place to stay," Bere said. "If the police find you on the road, they can arrest and charge you under the Act. About US$1.5 million people are affected by this law. At one point, nine people died in police custody after being arrested as vagrants."
Bere revealed that ZimRights has petitioned Parliament and is actively engaging lawmakers to push for the law’s repeal.
ZimRights National Chairman Takesure Musiiwa echoed the organisation’s concerns, describing the law as an outdated relic of colonial rule with no place in modern Zimbabwe.
"These are policies imposed by former colonial governments to serve their own interests. As an organisation, we are engaging with the government to say let’s review this policy — it is not helping our citizens," Musiiwa said. "We need to replace it with a law that will protect, not punish, vulnerable people."
ZimRights argues that criminalising homelessness fails to address the root causes of poverty and displacement and only deepens the social exclusion of already vulnerable populations.
The renewed call by ZimRights comes amid growing pressure on the government to reform archaic laws that perpetuate human rights violations rather than advance Zimbabwe’s constitutional values of dignity and equality.
Source - NewZimbabwe
