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President Hakainde Hichilema has assented into law the penal code amendment bill that abolishes the imposition of death penalty and the offence of criminal defamation of the President.
The penal code (amendament) bill no. 25 of 2022: abolishes the imposition of the death penalty and the offence of criminal defamation of the President, which have been on the Zambian statute books since pre-independence era.
This is according to a statement issued on Friday in Zambia’s capital Lusaka by presidential spokesperson Anthony Bwalya.
President Hichilema has since abolished this law.
“The Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia has, by the President’s assent, been amended to repeal all provisions of the Penal Code Act which provided for the imposition of mandatory death sentences in the absence of extenuating circumstances,” Bwalya said.
Bwalya said the President’s action was in line with his unwavering commitment to amend all archaic and undemocratic laws in line with his campaign promises to deepen the character of Zambia’s democtaric dispensation.
“By President Hichilema’s asset this afternoon, the provision of section 69 of the Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia which provide for the offence of Criminal Defamation of the President have since been repealed,” Bwalya said.
Read more: ‘Defamation of character law very unpopular’
During his national address on Monday, President Hichilema announced that he was ready to be a guinea pig following his commitment to abolish the defamation of the President law.
Hichilema emphasised that the Zambian government’s commitment to abolish the defamation of the President law as he did not mind what people would say about him.
“We are committed to legal reforms and remove the defamation of character law. This is a very unpopular decision among leaders but let me be a guinea pig because I do not mind what people say about me,” Hichilema said.
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