On December 31, 2024, Zimbabwe passed the Death Penalty Abolition Act, officially abolishing capital punishment. This marks Zimbabwe as the 127th country worldwide to end the death penalty. The move follows years of public and political debate, initiated by an opposition bill led by Edwin Mushoriwa, with amendments made by the government.
Zimbabwe had not executed anyone since 2005, and public support for the death penalty had been a significant obstacle to change. However, research by the Death Penalty Project revealed that most Zimbabweans were either indifferent to capital punishment or open to its abolition. A 2017 survey found that while 61% of Zimbabweans expressed support for the death penalty, most were willing to accept its removal if endorsed by the government.
The road to abolition also saw 90% of influential Zimbabwean leaders, including politicians and legal experts, backing the end of the death penalty, citing concerns over miscarriages of justice, human rights violations, and the ineffectiveness of capital punishment as a deterrent.
The country’s shift mirrors broader trends in Africa, where 26 countries have abolished the death penalty, and many others, including Ghana and Zambia, have followed suit in recent years. Only a few countries, like Egypt and Somalia, continue to actively enforce it.
The abolition is a significant victory for human rights advocates, who argue that the death penalty is a disproportionate punishment that primarily impacts the poor and uneducated. While Zimbabwe faces ongoing challenges in its criminal justice system, this historic decision aligns with global efforts to move away from capital punishment.