ICYMI:Zimbabwe To Raise The Age Of Consent From 12 To 16

Parliament is to raise the Age of Consent in Zimbabwe after the leader of government business in Parliament, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the National Assembly that the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs had agreed with some lawmakers to raise the age in the criminal code.

Vice President made the statement during a debate on the General Laws Amendment Bill last week. “We’ve agreed with several honorable members who’ve approached me, to lift the age from 12 years to 16 years. So, we’ve said that instead of the current one in the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, which is 12, we’ve agreed to shift it to 16, that’s with regard to the issue of consent for sexual relationships”, he said.

The Vice President said according to the Bill, anyone between the age of 12 and 16 is regarded as a young person and those aged 12 and below are regarded as children and if young persons who are both over the age of 12 but below the age of 16 engage in sex, none of them would be charged unless probation officers recommend the prosecution of either or both of them.

He also explained why they settled at 16 not 18 saying, “When you become 18, you’re now an adult, but we obviously know that they’re children among the families. The age of 18 years is of majority, meaning that you can now do things without even consulting your parents. This isn’t what we want our children to do; this is why there’s a difference between a child and an adult.”