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Takunda Maodza News Editor—
CRIMINALS who rape minors and the disabled risk 60 years imprisonment after Cabinet yesterday came up with principles on proposed Amendments to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:33) on minimum mandatory sentencing for rapists. This is a strong signal Government is upset with the prevalence of sexual violence.

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In a statement yesterday, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said the decision followed widespread concerns over a surge in sexual violence or rape.

“Following widespread concerns over the rising of the heinous crime of sexual violence or rape, Cabinet considered a proposal on the above matter and resolved to come up with more deterrent measures to stamp out the crime. Accordingly, Government resolved as follows: (a) that a sentence of 60 years of imprisonment be imposed for cases of rape of minors between 12 years of age and the disabled; and (b) that a sentence of 40 years of imprisonment be imposed for the rest of the cases of rape or sodomy,” said Dr Mushohwe.

Cabinet noted that there was need to protect society.

“These drastic measures have become necessary as a means to protect our society against perpetrators of this inhuman crime,” said Dr Mushohwe.

President Mugabe has spoken against sexual abuse on several occasions.

In 2014, he called for a nationwide campaign against abuse of women and children saying imposition of stiffer penalties on perpetrators alone was insufficient to curb the crime.

President Mugabe said his weekly briefings from Police Commissioner-General Dr Augustine Chihuri showed disturbing child sexual abuse statistics.

“Taratidzwa vana vakapambwa. Dzimwe nguva vanopambwa nehama, dzimwe nguva nanababa zvichinzi mushonga. Hatizivi kuti chirikumboitika chii?

“It’s a real epidemic, every Monday when we get a report from the Commissioner-General you have children who would have been abused, abused by the elders and in some cases by the fathers. A child of four months or three months! Murume unenge uchiti uri kuitei?

“And then there are rapes of teenagers and rapes of grown-up persons then even of, maiwe, vezera rangu nhai.

“Mbuya zvavo vakazvigarira. Ko washayeyi? That is very bad,” said President Mugabe on March 26, 2014.
He was speaking at belated International Women’s Day commemorations in Harare.

In 2013, President Mugabe had again bemoaned the continued abuse of women and children.

Addressing guests a dinner hosted by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to celebrate the official opening of the First Session of the Eighth Parliament, President Mugabe said: “Vanababa tochenjera. We are going to make it very, very tough for you. Vaye movayambira, madzishe, vanobata twana tudiki, kana zvichinzi ndizvo zvinopedza hurwere, kana zvichinzi zvinopa mhanza here, kana upfumi, movaudza vazvikande pasi. No molestation of youngsters, no molestation of women. We are going to increase masentences.”