Prostitution Prostitution laws in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] treats prostitution itself as lawful but criminalises the activities around it. Publicly soliciting another person for prostitution is an offence, either in a public place or by publication in any printed or electronic medium (s. 81, up to six months). Keeping a brothel, or demanding payment from a sex worker for managing a brothel, soliciting clients for her or bringing her into the country, carries up to two years (s. 82). Procuring an adult to become a prostitute also carries up to two years (s. 83). In May 2015 the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the arrest and prosecution of nine women for soliciting where the State had no evidence that anyone had been solicited.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
The Criminal Law Code defines a "prostitute" but does not make selling or buying sex an offence. It criminalises publicly soliciting (in person, in print or online), keeping a brothel, demanding money from a sex worker, and procuring. In 2015 the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the arrest and prosecution of nine women for soliciting where there was no evidence of a solicited man.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex is not itself an offence, but any person who "publicly solicits another person for the purposes of prostitution" commits the crime of soliciting. The penalty is a fine up to level five and/or up to six months' imprisonment (s. 81(2)). "Publicly solicits" covers soliciting in any place the public can access, and soliciting by publication in any printed or electronic medium.[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No provision makes paying an adult for sex an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 81 applies to "any person", so a client who publicly solicits a person for prostitution can also commit it.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping a brothel is the crime of "living off or facilitating prostitution", punishable by a fine up to level seven and/or up to two years (s. 82(a)). A brothel is any place occupied or used for prostitution, or visited for extra-marital sex for money or reward (s. 61).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Demanding payment from a sex worker for keeping a brothel she lives in, for soliciting clients on her behalf, for getting her into a brothel or for bringing her into Zimbabwe is an offence (s. 82(b)), as is demanding payment for a past or present "immoral connection" with her (s. 82(c)). The penalty is up to two years. Procuring a person to become a prostitute, or to leave Zimbabwe or their home for that purpose, carries up to two years for an adult and ten for a young person (s. 83).[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Soliciting for prostitution "by publication of the solicitation in any printed or electronic medium for reception by the public" counts as publicly soliciting (s. 81(1)(b)), so a public advert for sexual services is an offence (up to six months). A third party who solicits clients on a sex worker's behalf and demands payment for it commits a separate offence (s. 82(b)(ii)).[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex is not itself an offence, but any person who "publicly solicits another person for the purposes of prostitution" commits the crime of soliciting. The penalty is a fine up to level five and/or up to six months' imprisonment (s. 81(2)). "Publicly solicits" covers soliciting in any place the public can access, and soliciting by publication in any printed or electronic medium.[1][2]
On 27 May 2015 the Constitutional Court, with Deputy Chief Justice Malaba presiding, declared by consent the arrest, remand and prosecution of nine women on soliciting charges unconstitutional. The State had conceded it had no evidence that soliciting took place. Women had long been arrested in police sweeps on charges of "loitering for the purposes of prostitution" without any man testifying that he had been approached.
Confidence: medium. The text was read from ZimLII's consolidation as at 11 March 2022, through the Internet Archive's copy because ZimLII blocks automated access. Two 2024 amending Acts (protection of children and young persons; death penalty abolition) are not yet applied there and were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No provision makes paying an adult for sex an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 81 applies to "any person", so a client who publicly solicits a person for prostitution can also commit it.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping a brothel is the crime of "living off or facilitating prostitution", punishable by a fine up to level seven and/or up to two years (s. 82(a)). A brothel is any place occupied or used for prostitution, or visited for extra-marital sex for money or reward (s. 61).[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Demanding payment from a sex worker for keeping a brothel she lives in, for soliciting clients on her behalf, for getting her into a brothel or for bringing her into Zimbabwe is an offence (s. 82(b)), as is demanding payment for a past or present "immoral connection" with her (s. 82(c)). The penalty is up to two years. Procuring a person to become a prostitute, or to leave Zimbabwe or their home for that purpose, carries up to two years for an adult and ten for a young person (s. 83).[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Soliciting for prostitution "by publication of the solicitation in any printed or electronic medium for reception by the public" counts as publicly soliciting (s. 81(1)(b)), so a public advert for sexual services is an offence (up to six months). A third party who solicits clients on a sex worker's behalf and demands payment for it commits a separate offence (s. 82(b)(ii)).[1]
The statute does not mention websites or platforms specifically. Whether a site that hosts such adverts could be liable as an accomplice was not checked.
Confidence: medium. Read from the March 2022 consolidation, via the Internet Archive; no prosecutions for online adverts were found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (consolidated to 11 March 2022) Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] s. 61 · ss. 81–87 | Chapter V, Part III, Division E: soliciting (s. 81), living off or facilitating prostitution (s. 82) and procuring (s. 83).[1] | 1 July 2006 |
Timeline
- 1 July 2006The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act comes into force, codifying the soliciting, brothel and procuring offences.[1]
- 27 May 2015The Constitutional Court declares unconstitutional the arrest, remand and prosecution of nine women for soliciting where the State had no evidence that anyone had been solicited.[2]
Sources
- Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (consolidated to 11 March 2022). ZimLII. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Hooker arrests outlawed. The Herald (Harare), 28 May 2015. news · accessed 30 October 2026