CEOAFRICA gathered that Emmerson Mnangagwa Zimbabwe's Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister has called for the total abolition of capital punishment as it emerged that 89 people are on death row in Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwean Minister Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, told anti-death activists marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty in the capital Harare that capital punishment must be completely abolished from the country's statutes as it is inhuman and degrading.

"As someone who has been on the death row myself and only saved by an 'age' technicality, I believe that our justice delivery system must rid itself of this odious and obnoxious provision," Mnangagwa said.

"The mental torture occasioned by the mere knowledge that 'it is all over' coupled with the experience of being treated as the 'scum' of society, bring with them utter hopelessness and despair," he added.