By Crime Reporter- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has invoked the Presidential Powers Act to amend the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act to criminalise engaging in sexual activities with girls below 18, including trafficking them for sex work abroad.

Those guilty can now face up to 10 years in prison.

The revised regulations, outlined in the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Criminal Laws (Protection of Children and Young Persons)) Regulations, 2024 (Statutory Instrument 2 of 2024), specifically raise the age threshold for valid sexual consent from 16 to 18 years.
This legislative action addresses a gap in the law, as the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, prior to its amendment, defined a young person as one below 16, leaving those between 16 and 18 potentially exposed to sexual exploitation.
The constitutional definition of children as those below 18 prompted the Cabinet’s approval of principles to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill in November of last year. The bill aims to criminalise sexual activity with a child below the age of 18, aligning with the government’s efforts to harmonise laws related to the age of sexual consent.
The move comes in response to a surge in pregnancies involving minors and a disturbingly high prevalence of sexual abuse in the country. President Mnangagwa’s intervention reflects a commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of Zimbabwean children.