Zimbabwe’s Senate has passed a bill to abolish the death penalty, marking a significant step toward ending a practice last used in the country nearly two decades ago.
The bill, approved by senators on Wednesday night, now awaits President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signature to become law. Mnangagwa, who has openly opposed capital punishment, is expected to approve the legislation.
Zimbabwe has not carried out an execution since 2005, partly because the position of state executioner has remained vacant. Despite the lack of executions, over 60 prisoners remain on death row.
President Mnangagwa, in office since 2017, has previously commuted death sentences to life imprisonment through presidential amnesties. His stance against the death penalty stems from personal experience, having been sentenced to death during the country’s independence struggle in the 1960s before his sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison.
Calls for Swift Action
Amnesty International, a global human rights organization, has urged Mnangagwa to sign the bill without delay and to commute all existing death sentences. The organization highlighted that Zimbabwe is among more than 50 countries worldwide that retain the death penalty in law but have no formal moratorium on executions.
Globally, Amnesty reported 1,153 known executions in 2023, a significant increase from the 883 recorded the previous year. However, the number of countries carrying out executions dropped from 20 to 16. Iran and Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly 90% of all recorded executions, while China remained the leading executioner, with thousands of unconfirmed cases due to secrecy.
Regional and Global Trends
Zimbabwe joins Kenya, Liberia, and Ghana in taking steps toward abolishing capital punishment, aligning with a growing global trend. Amnesty noted that three-quarters of countries worldwide no longer carry out executions, reflecting shifting attitudes toward the death penalty.
If signed into law, Zimbabwe’s decision to abolish the death penalty would reinforce its commitment to human rights and align it with the majority of nations moving away from this practice.