Story by Mercy Bofu-Matinha
THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service says it remains committed to ensuring rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into the community through empowering them with life skills.
Mathias Muromo and Christine Mahota are among inmates who are serving their sentences at different rehabilitation centres in Masvingo for the crimes they committed.
However, as they serve their sentences, they have received life skills from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service ranging from carpentry to dressmaking and farming, and are hopeful of a better future and being released from prison.
“I was convicted of theft charges and when I got imprisoned i was very scared and i lost hope because of what many people say about prisons. When i got there it was different, i joined a class of carpentry and shoe making. Today i stand proud that even if i got back home, with this skill i will be able to fend for my family,” said Muromo.
“I was convicted for selling malicious damage of property and when i got to prison i started learning to bake. I am looking forward to start baking cakes when i got released from prison,” noted Mahota.
As Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating the Prisons and Correctional Service Day, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service says it continues to adopt reforms that ensure successful rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
“As the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service let me take this opportunity to say as an organization today we celebrate a milestone as we have successfully transformed our prisons to rehabilitation centres. Here in Masvingo we have got a number of programmes running to empower our inmates and the government has been very supportive,” highlighted
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Officer Commanding Masvingo Province, Commissioner Nelson Chikwature.
Government has also pledged to continue capacitating the ZPCS to ensure it delivers on its mandate.
“It warms my heart to know that the ZPCS has implemented empowerment programmes providing inmates with educational and professional qualifications and life survival skill. This approach has led to a marked reduction in reoffending rates. I urge the corporate world and individuals to consider employing prison graduands, giving them a second chance to life. Community participation is also very crucial in offender rehabilitation, eliminating isolation and stigmatisation,” indicated Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Ezra Chadzamira.
Apart from empowering inmates through skills development, a number of prisons across the country are contributing towards economic development through venturing into agriculture projects.
