Zimbabwe outlaws criticism of state ahead of polls

A man casts his ballot in a polling station in a suburb of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, on July 30, 2018. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, will seek a second term when the country goes to the polls on Aug 23. (AFP File Photo)

Zimbabwe’s parliament has passed a law that prohibits citizens from criticising the government, two months before it holds presidential elections.

Lawmakers approved the so-called Patriotic Bill on Wednesday, and sent it for approval by the Senate. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to sign the bill into law.