Call to rehabilitate convicts

Zimbabwe Prison Service regional chaplain for Mashonaland region Reverend Robson Madzivanyika has said.
Speaking at a ZAOGA FIF family fun day where the church donated clothes and other items to inmates on Sunday, Rev Madzivanyika said including convicts in social gatherings contributed to their rehabilitation.
“Prisoners are labelled as bad people in the society and interaction with them will help remove the stigma and make them acceptable.
“Prison is not for punishment but for rehabilitation. By accepting the inmates, we will restore the good character that was destroyed by the devil,” he said.
He said prison choirs, which are now found at Chinhoyi, Karoi, Bindura, Harare Central, Chikurubi Farm and Chikurubi female prisons, were a sign of God’s power.
ZAOGA FIF Hatfield district Pastor Moses Mlambo added: “The fact that you are in prison does not make you less human than us.
“God loves you as much as He loves us and we have an obligation to love you with the same love.”
Pastor Mlambo said it was not proper for the church to enjoy the family fun day and ignore those in prisons.
“He said the church was practising Matthew 25 vs 4o which says; ‘I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me’.
“We cannot visit all prisoners but through our donation we have invited prisoners.”
Reflecting on fun day, Chikurubi Farm choir member Hardlife Amidu said: “We feel loved and accepted and this also heals our souls. By attending such gatherings we also get some chances to perform, and perfect our music.
“This is also another way of raising funds for recording our music and sometimes we get sponsorship.” – CR.