WORLD Day Against the Death Penalty commemorations passed quietly in the country last Thursday with legal think tank, Veritas, calling on Parliament to expedite the abolition of capital punishment.
October 10 marked the 22nd anniversary of World Day Against the Death Penalty, which ran under the theme ‘The death penalty protects no one.
Abolish it now!” According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), 170 States have abolished the death penalty, introduced a moratorium, either in law or in practice or have ceased executions for more than 10 years, with Zimbabwe falling under the last category.
After initial enthusiasm that saw it adopted by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as a government Bill in May this year, having first been introduced as a Private Member’s Bill last year, Veritas expressed concern that progress had stalled.
“There has been no further progress, however. The first session of the 10th Parliament ended on October 2 2024 without the Bill having received its second reading. The reason for the delay is unclear,” said Veritas.
“While the prospect of abolishing the death penalty in Zimbabwe is encouraging, it is crucial that the government’s commitment to this goal remains unwavering and unaffected by political considerations. Any progress towards abolition must be substantive and not merely symbolic.
As we proceed towards abolition, the government should not enact new laws, such as Section 22A of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Act, which appear to reinstate the death penalty for certain crimes.”
Last year saw the abolition of the death penalty in Equatorial Guinea and Zambia while Ghana abolished it for all crimes except high treason as the momentum for the abolition of the death penalty in sub-Saharan Africa picks up pace. Several other countries that include Liberia, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad and DRC are at different stages of abolishing the death penalty.
Zimbabwe started the process of abolishing the death penalty in 2023 when Dzivarasekwa Member of the National Assembly, Edwin Mushoriwa, introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the National Assembly to abolish the death penalty.
The National Assembly quickly approved the motion and the Bill went through its first reading last November as it received significant support, a demonstration of a growing consensus among Zimbabwean lawmakers on the issue. — New Ziana