Tough terms for rapists: ED

Source: Tough terms for rapists: ED | The Herald October 10, 2018

President Mnangagwa

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
President Mnangagwa has said his administration wants to make the judicial system more efficient and fix stronger penalties for convicted rapists once Parliament passes the Bills to deal with rape and sexual abuses. He said Government remained concerned with the frequency of gender-based violence against women and girls, sexual harassment, early child marriages and child sexual abuse.

President Mnangagwa made the remarks during the inaugural Proweb breakfast meeting in Harare on Monday.
“As I have highlighted during my address at the official opening of the Ninth Parliament, we are making progressive changes to our legislation to strengthen the protective environment for young girls and women,” he said.

President Mnangagwa highlighted three important criminal justice reform packages to be introduced in the Ninth Parliament that seek to provide tough laws to crack down on rapists and child sexual abusers.

These are Child Justice Bill and the Marriages Bill set to be reviewed to provide a suite of measures to protect children and outlaw child marriages.

The Mandatory Sentencing for Rape and Sexual Abuse Bill, said President Mnangagwa, would see sterner penalties to perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

“Going forward, there is need to develop registers and tracking mechanisms of child sexual abusers in line with global best practices,” he said.

“There are values that we desire to be instilled in the nation as we go forward.”
President Mnangagwa implored women in business and in the society to assist the nation groom upright citizens.

“As we rebuild our nation, we should equally promote good family virtues grounded on our African ubuntu, hunhu, professional ethics and individual integrity, honesty and friendliness,” he said.

Proweb brings together women professionals and executives from varied sectors of the economy.
The meeting availed the women and the leadership a platform to dialogue and share business and economic perspectives, experiences, opportunities, challenges, as well as aspirations for the future.