ACTING President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday rekindled his call for the abolition of the death penalty, saying those insisting that it be maintained need divine intervention.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
The Constitution bars capital punishment for women, but men aged below 21 and 70 can be sentenced to death.
Addressing a constitutional advocacy meeting in Bulawayo, Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans must continue advocating for capital punishment to be struck off the country’s statutes.
“We have reduced the age of majority from 21 to 18. What are we saying? We are saying anybody below the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to death. Those above 18 except women, women cannot be sentenced to death. Women cannot be hanged.
“But men, any men above age of 18 up to the age of 70 can be hanged. I am above 70 so I cannot be hanged again. I have no doubt that we will continue advocating for total abolishing of the death penalty, but we still have strong views both from men and women who want people to be hanged, but we pray to God so that they see the light,” he told various stakeholders including legislators, residents and service chiefs who attended the meeting.
Mnangagwa has been at the forefront of the campaign against capital punishment after he faced the hangman’s noose during the liberation struggle under the Rhodesian regime.
The push to abolish capital punishment is now at the Constitutional Court where Tendai Biti, who is representing death row inmates, seeks the court’s intervention to drop the death penalty.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The case will be heard at the Constitutional Court on September 28.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa said the ministry had managed to translate the Constitution into eight vernacular languages. The Constitution recognises 16 official languages and the VP said it will be translated in all languages.
“The government has made great strides towards the production of the constitution in vernacular languages. I am glad to report that we now have abridged versions of the constitution in Ndebele, Shona, Tonga, Chewa, Sotho, Kalanga, Venda and Braille for the blind,” he said.
