Fortune Makoni in Inyathi
MORE than 200 inmates in Matabeleland North Province have participated in a correctional employment programme this year, gaining practical skills intended to help them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society after serving their sentences.
The initiative reflects a growing emphasis by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) on rehabilitation, vocational training and productive work as tools to reduce reoffending and give inmates a chance to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
The programme came under the spotlight during the Matabeleland North Prisons and Correctional Service Day commemorations held at Tatazela in Bubi District on Friday. The event ran under the theme: “Beyond Walls: Reconfiguring Pre-Release and Justice Pathways across African Corrections to Advance SDG 16”.
Speaking during the event, Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo called for greater support for inmates preparing for life beyond prison.
He said correctional work was no longer viewed simply as punishment, but as an opportunity to equip inmates with skills and experience they could use after their release.
“Work within our correctional institution is no longer viewed merely as an instrument of punishment. Rather, it is an important vehicle for empowerment, skills development, self-reliance, and preparation for life beyond imprisonment,” said Minister Moyo.
Across correctional facilities in the province, inmates are participating in educational programmes, vocational training, construction and agricultural projects, including horticulture, crop production, animal husbandry and fish farming.
The activities are intended to give inmates practical experience while promoting self-reliance and preparing them for employment or income-generating ventures after release.
Minister Moyo said partnerships with businesses and training institutions were helping expand these opportunities.
He cited Dynasty Bricks, formerly MacDonald Bricks, and Pride of Africa in Nkayi as among the stakeholders supporting rehabilitation and skills development.
Don Bosco Technical College in Hwange has also trained and certified inmates in brick and block laying. Some graduates have received starter packs, while others have secured employment opportunities.
Minister Moyo said an anticipated agreement between ZPCS and Umguza Vocational Training Centre would create further opportunities for inmates at Anju Farm to obtain vocational, agricultural and construction qualifications.
Agricultural training, he added, was particularly important in Zimbabwe, where farming remains a major source of livelihoods and economic activity.
Beyond the prison environment, ZPCS is also contributing to community development through infrastructure projects, including the renovation of a three-wing maternity facility at Nyamandlovu
Hospital, construction of a classroom block at Hwange Local Board Phase 5 Primary School, and the building of dormitories and a dining hall at Somvubu High School in Inyathi.
Minister Moyo urged Government departments, traditional leaders, businesses, churches, families and communities to support rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.
He said former inmates should not be stigmatised, arguing that they could make a positive contribution to society if given opportunities to rebuild their lives.
The acting officer commanding for ZPCS in Matabeleland North Province, Assistant Commissioner Greenfield Bulala, said the service’s objective was to help inmates understand the consequences of their actions and avoid returning to prison.
“Our aim is to make them realise their mistakes so that they do not come back to jail for a second time or more,” he said.
Asst Comm Bulala said inmates were expected to apply the lessons learnt during incarceration, change their behaviour and live peacefully with other members of society after completing their sentences.
The commemorations offered a practical demonstration of that approach, with inmates from correctional facilities across the province exhibiting handcrafted items produced during their incarceration.
The displays further highlighted how practical skills could help former inmates become self-reliant and potentially establish income-generating activities after release.
The programme also included performances by inmates, among them Nkosi Sibanda from Lupane, as well as a parade involving ZPCS personnel and officers from Ntabazinduna Training School. A total of 95 officers and members of the parade contingent attended the event.
Village head Ruben Ngwenya, an assessor to the president of the Chiefs’ Council, Chief Mtshana Khumalo, said the initiative reflected the principle of inclusive development.
“This event aligns with the vision of His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, which states that no one should be left behind,” he said.
