Zimbabwe Minister of Gender Affairs Hails Landmark Sentence

Oppah Muchinguri, leader of the Women's League of ZANU-PF, the ruling party of the Republic of Zimbabwe. She holds the position of Minister of Women's Affairs, a cabinet post inside the government., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Muchinguri hails landmark rape sentence

January 23, 2014 Crime & Courts
Ruth Butaumocho Gender Editor

The Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Cde Oppah Muchi- nguri, has hailed the landmark sentence of 230 years given to a serial rapist and robber Thomas Brighton Chirembwe saying it would send a strong message to would-be offenders that the law will descend on them.
Chirembwe, who raped 13 women in Harare and robbed them of their valuables in Cranborne, Queensdale and Hatfield, was this week sentenced to 290 years in prison, before 60 were slashed on condition of good behaviour. Cde Muchinguri, who was speaking at the launch of the 2013 SADC Gender Protocol Barometer on Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday, said the sentence demonstrated Government’s commitment to protect women against all forms of abuse.

“We have been saying that rapists and other abusers will not go scot-free this time. Systems are now in place to ensure that such people will not get away with minimum sentences,” she said.

Several civic organisations also welcomed the sentence saying they had been calling for such deterrent measures for a long time to curb increasing cases of rape.

A spokesperson for Padare/Ekundhleni, Mr Walter Tatenda Mawere, said his organisation had been calling for such sentences to stop sexual abuse against women and children.

“As men we feel our daughters, mothers and sisters should be protected and feel safe when moving around. I also believe this sentence came about as a response to the march we held in December with women and other concerned organisations, where we called for severe punishments against rapists,” said Mr Mawere.

A spokesperson for a men’s human rights organisation, Va- rume Svinurai/Vukani Madoda, Mr Fred Misi, applauded the sentence, urging men to refrain from abusing women.

“We have never supported rapists because it paints all men as abusers, yet that is not the case,” he said. “He (Chirembwe) deserves the sentence because of the trauma he caused to the victims. He robbed and destroyed their lives. We deplore abuse of any kind whether it’s against men or women, and this landmark ruling is a warning to all criminals.

“As a men’s organisation we are against rape, especially of woman. We are there to protect, not rape them. I do not have any kind words for him,” he said.