Amnesty International has called on Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Gambia to officially abolish the death penalty, urging them to lead by example for other nations worldwide. The international human rights organization emphasized that none of these countries have carried out an execution in over a decade, and multiple death sentences have been commuted during this time.
Lucia Masuka, Director of Amnesty International in Zimbabwe, highlighted the global trend of moving away from capital punishment and encouraged African nations to follow suit.
“It’s time for all countries to move away from this cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment once and for all,” Masuka stated. She noted that Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, once narrowly avoided execution himself after being sentenced to death during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. “The president knows what it’s like to face the death penalty, and he now has the opportunity to ensure that no one else goes through that.”
President Mnangagwa, addressing Zimbabwe’s Parliament this month, reaffirmed his commitment to his 2017 promise to prevent the reinstatement of the death penalty in the country. “Parliament has an obligation to expedite the enactment of all bills that, for one reason or another, are outstanding from previous sessions,” he said, stressing the need for the swift passage of bills related to the abolition of the death penalty.
Casten Matewu, a legislator from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and a member of the justice, legal, and parliamentary affairs committee, supported the president’s stance. “I am for the abolition of the death penalty, and this must be abolished before December,” Matewu said. “There is strong support across Parliament for this bill, and it is expected to pass without opposition.”
However, not all are in agreement. Zachariah Choga, a lawyer with experience in South Africa and currently practicing in Harare, argued against abolition. “Since South Africa abolished the death penalty in 1994, there has been a dramatic increase in heinous crimes, violent crimes, and crimes of passion. I believe the death penalty serves as a deterrent, and the fear of losing one’s life can make a potential criminal reconsider their actions.”
Amnesty International maintains a different perspective. Masuka stressed that the death penalty does not provide a unique deterrent to crime. “Countries that retain the death penalty often believe it will make their communities safer. However, that is a misconception. The death penalty does not have a unique deterrent effect and violates the right to life, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Currently, 24 countries across sub-Saharan Africa have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, with two others abolishing it for ordinary crimes only. Zimbabwe’s last known execution occurred in 2005, although courts continue to impose death sentences. In April this year, all condemned individuals had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment under a presidential amnesty by Mnangagwa.
