The Sunday Mail
Thupeyo Muleya in Beitbridge
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi has said Government and its partners need to increase collaboration and mobilise resources to fight human trafficking.
He was speaking at the World Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day commemorations at Dulivhadzimo Stadium in Beitbridge yesterday.
The VP said Government had established an inter-ministerial committee to tackle prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships.
The committee, he said, was chaired by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema, and had representation from other ministries and partners.
“It is sad to note that human trafficking is still relatively unknown crime and not much insights have been developed concerning it due to the underground nature of its activities,” VP Mohadi said.
“There is a need to generate knowledge on human trafficking to ensure increased public awareness of this ever-changing scourge. There are three most common types of human trafficking which are sex trafficking, forced labour and debt bondage. Forced labour is perhaps the biggest of trafficking in the world.
“Allow me to reaffirm the Zimbabwean Government’s unflinching commitment in the fight against human trafficking as captured in our vision 2030 and the State of the Nation Address by His Excellency Comrade ED Mnangagwa.
“As leaders, we acknowledge and observe that we live in a contaminated moral environment in which man is essentially a beast when left to his designs and thoughts”.
VP Mohadi said the fight against human trafficking was not a Government problem alone and needed collaboration from all sectors of the society.
He said every year millions of children, women and men fall into the hands of traffickers, lured by fake promises of employment and other deceits.
“Zimbabwe is committed to advancing action to bring traffickers to justice while protecting and supporting victims,” he said.
“The rights of the victims must come first — be they the victims of traffickers, smugglers, or modern forms of slavery or exploitation. Government is further more committed to enhancing prosecution of traffickers and has enacted laws that criminalise all forms of human trafficking and prescribe sufficiently stringent sentences.”
This year’s World Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day commemorations focused on “Responding to the trafficking of children and young people”.
