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Mashudu Netsianda, mashudu.netsianda@chronicle .co.zw

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has invoked the Presidential Powers Act to amend the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which will see paedophiles serving up to 10 years in prison for having sex with girls below 18 years including trafficking them to foreign countries to engage in sex work.

According to the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Criminal Laws (Protection of Children and Young Persons)) Regulations, 2024 contained in Statutory Instrument 2 of 2024, the age threshold within which one can make valid sexual consent was raised from 16 to 18 years.

While the Constitution defines children as those below the age of 18, the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act before its amendment, defined a young person as one who is below 16, thereby creating a gap in the law which would possibly expose children above 16 to sexual exploitation.

Last year in November, Cabinet approved principles to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill criminalising sexual activity with a child below the age of 18 as the Government seeks to harmonise laws relating to the age of sexual consent.

The issue of the age of consent has generated a lot of debate in the country in light of an increase in pregnancies involving minors, and the high prevalence of sexual abuse.