Zimbabwe President Signs Law to Abolish Death Penalty

Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s law signing on Tuesday, December 31st. After months of legislative discussions, the decision was supported by a vote in parliament earlier in December.

President Mnangagwa, a long-time opponent of capital punishment, played a crucial role in advancing the bill. Mnangagwa’s personal experience as a colonial-era prisoner, where he narrowly avoided execution due to his age, heavily influenced his stance. As a young man during the 1960s, he had been sentenced to death but was spared because he was considered underage. This experience shaped his belief in the need for a fairer, more humane legal system. 

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi emphasized that this reform signifies a commitment to justice and humanity, stating, “More than a legal reform; it is a statement of our commitment to justice and humanity.”

Human rights groups have broadly applauded the decision, with Amnesty International describing it as “a beacon of hope.” Parvais Jabbar, the executive director of the London-based Death Penalty Project, highlighted Zimbabwe’s move as part of a larger global trend toward ending capital punishment. He noted that Zimbabwe has now joined two-thirds of the world in rejecting the death penalty, suggesting that this action could encourage similar changes throughout Africa.

However, the decision has faced some opposition. Vincent Mazilankatha, an artisan miner, expressed concerns about a potential rise in violent crime, particularly in mining areas. “If you just look at how people are killing each other, especially in the mining areas, you see that the death penalty was supposed to remain in place. Before, people feared being hanged for killing,” Mazilankatha said, arguing that the abolition of the law could reduce its deterrent effect.

The decision brings a significant change in Zimbabwe, where the last execution occurred in 2005. Despite this, courts continued to issue death sentences for serious crimes such as murder. Now, inmates on death row will face resentencing, with judges considering factors including the length of time spent on death row and the specifics of their crimes.