ZAMBIA: Caritas Zambia Lauds Govt on Abolition of Death Penalty
Caritas Zambia Executive Director Fr. Gabriel Mapulanga
Mwenya Mukuka
Caritas Zambia has commended Government of Zambia for the abolition of death penalty.
Recently, President Hakainde Hichilema assented to the amendment to the provisions of the Penal Code Amendment Bill Number 25 of 2022 that has abolished the imposition of the death penalty, and Section 69 of the penal code Act Chapter 87 which provide for the offence of criminal defamation of the President.
Caritas Zambia Executive Director Fr. Gabriel Mapulanga emphasized that the dignity of human life must not be taken away even from a person that has committed crime.
“The Catholic Church in Zambia is delighted. The Church has been calling for the abolition of death penalty for some time. The Gospel calls for protection of human life and the practice mercy as opposed to vengeance,” Fr Mapulanga said.
“The principal response to crime and punishment by the Catholic Church is rooted in our conviction about good and evil, sin and redemption, justice and mercy,” he added.
Father Mapulanga added that the abolition of death penalty is a step in the right direction as far as respecting human life is concerned.
