News / National
Mnangagwa makes a mistake, abolishes death penalty
01 Jan 2025 at 10:15hrs | Views
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially signed the Death Penalty Abolition Bill into law, effectively ending capital punishment in Zimbabwe. The landmark decision, which was ratified in Parliament last month, was published in an Extraordinary Government Gazette yesterday, marking a significant shift in the country's legal landscape.
The new law, titled the Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter 9:26] (No. 4 of 2024), will save more than 65 convicts currently facing the death penalty. It replaces the death penalty with prison sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment for those convicted of murder in aggravating circumstances.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Martin Rushwaya, announced the development, which has been hailed as a progressive move aligning Zimbabwe with global trends and best practices, as capital punishment is increasingly regarded as inhumane worldwide.
The Bill, initially introduced by Dzivaresekwa Member of Parliament Edwin Mushoriwa, was taken over by the government due to its national importance. Under the new law, no court in Zimbabwe can impose the death penalty on a convicted person, and the Supreme Court will no longer confirm death sentences, substituting them with appropriate prison terms instead.
Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, during the parliamentary debates, explained that experience had shown that capital punishment did not reduce murder rates. While acknowledging that many people supported the death penalty for extreme crimes, he noted that in practice, people were reluctant to carry it out. Minister Ziyambi pointed out that despite having over 60 prisoners on death row, some of whom had waited for years, the execution of such sentences caused significant psychological harm, not only to those being executed but also to those involved in the process.
The minister also shared a poignant personal account from President Mnangagwa, who recalled his own traumatic experiences during the liberation struggle. The President recounted the painful task of burying comrades who had been executed, which caused lasting psychological scars.
In a further discussion, Minister Ziyambi emphasized that capital punishment had failed to deter crime and did not address the root causes of criminal behavior. He argued that the abolition of the death penalty was an important step towards creating a more humane and just society.
Along with the Death Penalty Abolition Act, the President also assented to several other key pieces of legislation published in the Government Gazette, including the Appropriation (2025) Act and the Finance (No. 2) Act. These laws give legal effect to fiscal measures outlined by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube in his 2025 National Budget.
The abolition of the death penalty is a milestone in Zimbabwe's legal reform process, signaling a commitment to human rights and aligning the country with global norms in the treatment of convicted individuals.
The new law, titled the Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter 9:26] (No. 4 of 2024), will save more than 65 convicts currently facing the death penalty. It replaces the death penalty with prison sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment for those convicted of murder in aggravating circumstances.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Martin Rushwaya, announced the development, which has been hailed as a progressive move aligning Zimbabwe with global trends and best practices, as capital punishment is increasingly regarded as inhumane worldwide.
The Bill, initially introduced by Dzivaresekwa Member of Parliament Edwin Mushoriwa, was taken over by the government due to its national importance. Under the new law, no court in Zimbabwe can impose the death penalty on a convicted person, and the Supreme Court will no longer confirm death sentences, substituting them with appropriate prison terms instead.
Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, during the parliamentary debates, explained that experience had shown that capital punishment did not reduce murder rates. While acknowledging that many people supported the death penalty for extreme crimes, he noted that in practice, people were reluctant to carry it out. Minister Ziyambi pointed out that despite having over 60 prisoners on death row, some of whom had waited for years, the execution of such sentences caused significant psychological harm, not only to those being executed but also to those involved in the process.
The minister also shared a poignant personal account from President Mnangagwa, who recalled his own traumatic experiences during the liberation struggle. The President recounted the painful task of burying comrades who had been executed, which caused lasting psychological scars.
In a further discussion, Minister Ziyambi emphasized that capital punishment had failed to deter crime and did not address the root causes of criminal behavior. He argued that the abolition of the death penalty was an important step towards creating a more humane and just society.
Along with the Death Penalty Abolition Act, the President also assented to several other key pieces of legislation published in the Government Gazette, including the Appropriation (2025) Act and the Finance (No. 2) Act. These laws give legal effect to fiscal measures outlined by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube in his 2025 National Budget.
The abolition of the death penalty is a milestone in Zimbabwe's legal reform process, signaling a commitment to human rights and aligning the country with global norms in the treatment of convicted individuals.
Source - The Herald
