|
ZIMBABWE: MINISTER EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, 'REMOVE DEATH PENALTY TOTALLY'
March 13, 2015: Zimbabwe’s acting President and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, reiterated he wanted the death penalty “totally” abolished by the Constitution. He made the remarks at a Constitution advocacy meeting in Marondera.
The new Constitution outlawed death penalty on women and men who are under the age of 18 years and those over 70. But Mnangagwa who has been on record castigating the death penalty, said now he wanted men who were in the category of hanging, to also survive the gallows.
“I am happy that women were removed from the death penalty and I am now fighting that you men may also not be hanged,” he said drawing applause from the crowd.
“My colleagues may say whatever they say, but for me, I think progress in society is to abolish the death penalty, but still give heavy penalties or sentences to those who commit serious crimes like murder, robbery and so on… Let them get as many years as the courts may sentence them or even life imprisonment. I am not against that, I support that. I am only against the execution of a human being because I have experienced this, not personally, that I was hanged.”
“It doesn't matter what you think, even if all of you say you want it, I don't want. Despite the fact that the President [Mugabe] appointed me Minister of Justice, I had told him that if he puts me there I will not sign hanging of people.” Acting President Mnangagwa survived the gallows during the colonial rule in the 1960s for sabotage on grounds that he was below 21 years. He drew laughter from the delegates when he said he would automatically survive execution again since he was now over 70 years of age. On 14 November 2014, a delegation of Hands Off Cain and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty met with Minister of Justice Emmerson Mnangagwa, who shared his personal story with the delegation, when, as a young freedom fighter, arrested and condemned to death, escaped it for his young age in 1965. During his detention, Mnangagwa had to accompany several comrades to the gallows and, after the hanging, was obliged to bury them in a graveyard in the back of the prison. (Sources: The Herald and Hands Off Cain, 14/03/2015)
|
