The Sunday News
Joel Tsvakwi, Sunday Life Reporter
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) intensifies its efforts in the rehabilitation of inmates by exhibiting alongside inmates at the just ended 57th annual Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
There were four inmates drawn from the ZPCS’s various correctional facilities. In an interview with the Sunday Life, ZPCS Acting National Public Relations Officer Superintendent Priscila Mutembo said they decided to exhibit with inmates so that inmates tell the actual prison story.
“When we tell the behind bars story as officers, people will think we are fabricating, so it is ideal that these inmates tell the public about their lifestyles in prison,” she said.
Mutembo noted that prison officers have to understand wide ranging factors which bring people to prisons so as to enable them to rehabilitate them.
“There are quite a number of challenges which make people commit crimes including rejection by society, economic hardships, and this knowledge helps officers to tackle these problems in trying to correct the deviant behaviours from inmates.
“Some offenders find themselves being admitted in the country’s prisons thinking that ZPCS is the only institution which can understand them and this we need to correct by imparting to them that there is sustainable responsible life after outside prison walls,” she said.
Responding to questions as to how the ZPCS rehabilitate inmates Mutembo said there were a lot of mechanisms within the country’s correctional facilities to help inmates.
“We have Vocational Skills Training and Academic Education, Sports and Recreation and Social Re-integration strategies. We identify where one has potential and help him or her to pursue that area or at times it can be by choice,” she added.
Of the four inmates who showcased alongside officers were drawn from Khami Prisons Complex and the female one from as far as Harare Female Prison.
Kudzai Nyoka who is serving a five-year jail term at Chikurubi Female Prison said her lifestyle was changed while in the prison.
“I have fast become a poet, author and now I have registered with Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) to start a degree programme in Developmental studies, “said Nyoka.
Nyoka revealed she was also penning a book titled Healed wounds but Ugly Scars. She also said she participated in the popular Starbrite recent competition and came out tops in the singing category.
She added that society should accept former inmates when they are freed from prison.
“Everyone is a potential criminal because out of ignorance anyone can commit crimes and society needs to know that inmates are being empowered with life skills so as to be responsible citizens.”
Another male inmate Tawanda Mpofu who featured on the Guluvha drama series as Bro Tulas said words alone cannot help him thank the ZPCS.
“I am serving a 10-year jail sentence but I have benefitted a lot in arts. I want to study film,” he said.
Mpofu however, revealed that he thanked the now late Prison officer-cum-script writer who penned the Guluva drama series Onwell Siziba.
“I wish he was still alive to witness the knowledge which he imparted on us,” said Mpofu shedding tears.
