https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/273 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:08:14 GMT 2026-04-22T17:08:14Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6422 Title: Midlands State University Law Review: Business and Human rights Editors: Dr A Fuentes; Dr G Manyatera; Dr A Mugadza Abstract: This is a limited, non-commercial print run authorised by RWI for training, educational and research purposes only. The publication is therefore not for sale.Midlands State UniversityLaw Review is a peer-reviewed law publication committed to publishing articles on various legal issues in Zimbabwe, Africa and the rest of the world. The MSU Law Review is published by MSU Faculty of Law. All rights are reserved. No portion of this Law Review may be copied by any process without the written consent of the MSULR Editorial Committee. This publication would not have been possible without the general financial support of the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe through Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.The designations employed and the presentation of the material herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) or any of its partners or donors concerningthe legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries Description: Special edition Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6422 2024-03-01T00:00:00Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5978 Title: Criminalisation of Deliberate Transmission of HIV: A Subtle Perpetuation of Gender Inequality in Zimbabwe? Authors: Linet Sithole; Samukeliso Sibanda; Isabel Moyo Abstract: The sudden wake of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, when most people had a poor understanding of the epidemic, led to an increase of HIV criminalisation laws. Yet, decades later, with the epidemic well understood, the laws remain in force. 1 Zimbabwe, which has the sixth highest HIV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa at 13.5 per cent, with 1.3 million people living with HIV in 2016,2 is no exception. However, suffice to say, in 2016 new infections dropped to 40,000 from 79,000 in 2010, with behaviour change communication, high treatment coverage and prevention of mother-to-child transmission services thought to be responsible for this decline. 3 Be that as it may, an estimated 720,000 women are living with HIV in Zimbabwe. 4 Gender inequality – which is a common feature within relationships and marriages, courtesy of the patriarchal nature of the African society (and Zimbabwe is no exception) – is the main cause for HIV infections. 5 For instance, according to the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey Report, only 69 per cent of men believe a woman has the right to refuse sexual intercourse if she knows he has sex with other women. 6 In addition, although in the minority, 23 per cent of females believe women do not have the right to ask their partner to use a condom if he has a sexually transmitted infection (STI). 7 This shows how women are still regarded as perpetual minors whose role is to be subordinated to their male counterparts. Zimbabwe, in light of the high HIV prevalence rate, also introduced HIV criminalisation laws that prohibit the deliberate transmission of HIV. 8 The introduction of HIV specific laws in Zimbabwe and the rest of the world was meant 9 to deter and thus prevent the spread of HIV by aggravating charges against HIV-positive accused persons who deliberately transmit to third parties. As already mentioned above, the criminalisation laws were put in place when HIV was barely understood and the laws are still in place. Decades later, the laws still apply without any amendments to suit the technological advancements that have been made in dealing with HIV. Existing research has focused mainly on the impact of criminalisation on HIV prevention and behaviour change among people living with HIV or those who are at a high risk of contracting constitutionality of criminalisation of deliberate transmission of HIV, 12 public health implications of criminalisation, among others. However, no research has been conducted on whether or not criminalisation perpetuates gender inequality in Zimbabwe. This paper therefore seeks to discuss the impact such criminalisation laws have on gender equality in Zimbabwe. Methodologically, the study relied on literature review and opinions of parliamentarians, magistrates and health officials. This study contributes to the debate on the impact of criminalising the deliberate transmission of HIV in Zimbabwe. Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5978 2022-12-01T00:00:00Z Linet Sithole Samukeliso Sibanda Isabel Moyo https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5976 Title: The Troubled Electoral Contestation in Zimbabwe Authors: Loveness Muyengwa-Mapuva; Jephias Mapuva Abstract: Political events that have prevailed in Zimbabwe since 1980 have presented challenges for democracy, giving birth to a chequered electoral history. Successive electoral contests have produced contested results and this has been attributed to the defective electoral legislation. Successive constitutional amendments and the enactment of the attendant legislation guiding civil society participation in governance processes have also contributed to the inability of the voice of the people from being heard. The inheritance of colonial legislation tended to harden the stance of the leadership. Despite the fact that the SADC, and the AU, have facilitated the enactment of guidelines to enable free and fair electoral processes, this has not been binding on member states, leaving states to conduct elections under own conditions. In some cases, violence has characterized elections in Zimbabwe. The new Constitution in Zimbabwe has not helped improve the way elections have been held, as well as the authority of the election management body, the ZEC. Mon, 24 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5976 2014-02-24T00:00:00Z Loveness Muyengwa-Mapuva Jephias Mapuva https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5975 Title: The SADC regional bloc: What challenges and prospects for regional integration? Authors: Loveness Muyengwa-Mapuva; Jephias Mapuva Abstract: Generally, regional integration is when a group of countries get together and develop a formal agreement (by way of treaties) regarding how they will conduct trade with each other. Ernst Haas, perhaps the most prominent integration scholar of the time, defined integration as follows: The process whereby political actors in several distinct national settings are persuaded to shift their loyalties, expectations and political activities toward a new centre, whose institutions possess or demand jurisdiction over pre-existing national states. The end result of a process of political integration is a new political community, superimposed over the preexisting ones.1Regional integration has manifested itself historically in Africa, America and Europe as a bureaucratic effort to facilitate political unification and expansion of capitalism.2 The establishment of regional economic blocs not only strengthens member countries' positions on the global political landscape and bargaining power on international issues, but also enables countries to collectively grapple with the region's economic progress. Individual countries within any given economic bloc cannot deal with the economic challenges single-handedly; hence the mooting of the idea of regional economic integration. Regional integration has been seen in Africa as a means of encouraging trade and securing economies of scale.3 Additionally, regional integration has become increasingly accepted as essential in facilitating economic and political development.4 Regional integration has been credited with providing an important step towards a wider global involvement5 and has exhibited the potential to promote economic growth and reduce poverty through increased exports of domestic goods.6 It has been envisaged that integration has the potential to promote growth and reduce poverty through the increase of exports of domestic goods. Consequently, several regional groupings have mushroomed in the post-war era across the globe, notably the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In Africa several regional groups have emerged, namely, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is the focus of this article. This article seeks to unpack some of the challenges that the SADC has encountered in its regional economic integration endeavours.It can therefore be argued that the Southern African region is ideal for regional economic integration given the fact that it is characterised by many countries with small economies, an environment which is ideal for interstate trade and forging of economic links. This article seeks to present and discuss challenges that the SADC regional grouping has encountered in its effort to foster regional integration, by engaging in debate around the importance of regional integration and the reasons behind some of the challenges. Thu, 10 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5975 2014-07-10T00:00:00Z Loveness Muyengwa-Mapuva Jephias Mapuva