On the 31st of December 2024, the Death Penalty Abolition Act [Chapter. 9:26] (“the Act”) was enacted, marking the abolition of the death penalty in Zimbabwe. Section 2 of the Act expressly provides the prohibition of imposition of the death penalty by any Court; the confirmation of the death penalty by the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe; and the carrying out of any death sentence, regardless of when it was imposed. In this short treatise, we delve into the intricacies of the Act and analyze whether it marks a true turning point in Zimbabwean law, sentencing & the death penalty.
