Three weeks after firing his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa as Justice Minister, President Robert Mugabe has said that he is in favour of resuming the death penalty.

He, however, said his cabinet was divided over the issue.

Mnangagwa, who was on the death penalty in the 1960s after being convicted of terrorism only to be saved by his age (he was supposedly under 18), has been against the death penalty all along and has repeatedly called for its abolition.

Zimbabwe has almost 100 prisoners on the death row but has not executed any prisoner since 2005.

Those convicted of murder can still be sentenced to death but Zimbabwe does not hang women or offenders under the age of 17 or over 70.