Zimbabwe repealing death penalty seen as “huge win”

By Tadios Sokomondo Denya

Zimbabwe repealing death penalty seen as “huge win”

After years of heated debates, Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty. This landmark decision marks a new era for the South African state and is being hailed as a triumph for justice and compassion.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed a law abolishing the death penalty on 31 December 2024 after it had been passed by Parliament earlier that month. Mnangagwa himself faced a death sentence in the 1960s, which was subsequently commuted to 10 years in prison.

The abolition means that Zimbabwe is the 30th African country to do away with the death penalty.

Zimbabwe has had a moratorium in place on death sentences for almost two decades, with no executions having taken place since 2005 although people have continued to be sentenced to death. In 2009, there were 52 prisoners on death row including one woman while currently there are at least 63 people facing the death penalty for aggravated murder.

Under the new law, serious crimes such as treason and murder, previously punishable by death, will now carry life imprisonment or lengthy prison sentences instead. The inmates sentenced to death before the abolition of the law will face a new hearing in the High Court when their sentences will be re-evaluated.

Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, described the abolition of the death penalty as “a statement of our commitment to justice and humanity”.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission described the bill as “a milestone achievement” commenting in a statement that:

“Zimbabwe now joins a growing number of nations that have recognised the inherent dignity of every human being, regardless of their past actions.”

Amnesty International has also hailed Zimbabwe’s move with Lucia Masuka, Head of Amnesty International in Zimbabwe, stating:

“this is a huge win for the country. But it’s not just about Zimbabwe, it’s also a big deal for people fighting to end the death penalty in Africa. Globally, it’s a major step forward in the fight to stop this terrible punishment that treats people in a way that’s completely unacceptable”.

However, Amnesty International urged the Zimbabwean government to “remove the clause included in the amendments to the Bill allowing for the use of the death penalty for the duration of any state of public emergency”.

Zimbabwe’s journey to abolishing the death penalty began in 2023 when a private member’s bill was introduced to Parliament. The government threw its weight behind the bill in 2024, with the Cabinet then giving it the green light. After navigating through the National Assembly and Senate, President Mnangagwa subsequently signed the bill into law.