By Staff Reporter
President Mnangagwa has signed the Death Penalty Abolition Bill into law, effectively ending capital punishment in the country. The bill, which passed through Parliament last month, will spare the lives of over 65 inmates on death row.
This move aligns Zimbabwe with international human rights standards, recognizing the inhumane nature of capital punishment. The bill replaces the death penalty with life imprisonment for murder in aggravating circumstances.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, made the announcement in an Extraordinary Government Gazette.
“The following laws, which were assented to by His Excellency the President, are published in terms of section 131(6)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe—Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter 9:26] (No. 4 of 2024),” reads the notice.
The Bill was initially introduced by Dzivaresekwa Member of Parliament, Mr Edwin Mushoriwa, before the Government took over given its importance.
Following the gazetting of the Act, a person convicted of murder in aggravating circumstances shall be liable to a jail term of between 20 years and life imprisonment.
In abolishing the death penalty, Clause Two of the Act reads as follows: “No court shall impose sentence of death upon a person for any offence, whenever committed, but instead shall impose whatever other competent sentence is appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
“The Supreme Court shall not confirm a sentence of death imposed upon an appellant, whenever that sentence may have been imposed, but instead shall substitute whatever other competent sentence is appropriate in the circumstances of the case, no sentence of death, whenever imposed, shall be carried out.”
Mnangagwa survived a death sentence during the colonial era in the 1970s, as he was considered underage to face the gallows.
Other laws that were assented to by the President include the Appropriation (2025) Act, Finance (No. 2) Act, which seeks to give legal effect to various fiscal measures announced by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube in his 2025 National Budget.
