Online Reporter
Dr Jenfan Muswere
Below is a speech made by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere at the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Manicaland Province’s Officer Commanding Sports Gala at Vengere High School in Rusape yesterday.
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IT is with a profound sense of honour and privilege that I stand before you today at this auspicious Manicaland Province’s Officer Commanding Sports Gala.
This is more than just a gathering for sport; it is a celebration of the strength, resilience and unwavering spirit that defines a correctional officer.
The energetic aura and camaraderie that has been espoused by this gala is praiseworthy.
I am particularly touched by the fact that this event is themed “Curbing Drug and Substance Abuse through Sport”.
Indeed, this scourge is not addressed by mere slogans but action that resonates deeply with the challenges our communities are facing.
To this effect, at national level, the Ministry of Information is playing a crucial role in the fight against drugs by supporting the Government’s multi-sectoral drug and substance abuse plan for 2024 to 2030.
The plan’s aim is to tackle the significant public health, socio-economic and national security challenges posed by drug and substance abuse.
Today’s gala is a shining example of commitment to this cause.
It brings together officers from all the ZPCS stations dotted in Manicaland province, ready to showcase their athletic prowess and in the process reinforce the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Allow me to take this opportunity to remind you that the profession you have chosen is one of the most challenging and least understood by those outside your circles.
Upon establishment, the prison system was retributive; however, over the years, we have seen a positive transformation, which is productive and rehabilitative in nature.
This approach makes you silent guardians operating at a complex intersection of justice, rehabilitation and public safety.
On daily basis, you walk a fine line, managing immense psychological pressure and demonstrating a level of patience and resolve that few can comprehend.
It is a role that demands not just physical strength, but immense mental fortitude and emotional resilience.
We do not pity you, but we hold you in the highest esteem, for you are the bedrock upon which a significant part of our societal stability is built.
Go yee, therefore, live up to this gala’s theme so that those within your circles can emulate the positive that you radiate for the attainment of a drug-free society.
This is precisely why we are gathered here.
This gala is a deliberate investment in your most valuable asset, which is yourselves.
It is a powerful statement that your wellness, physical and mental health remains a paramount priority to ZPCS and the country at large.
When individuals engage in sport, they learn valuable life skills such as perseverance, resilience and problem-solving.
The physical activity inherent in sport also releases endorphins, natural mood elevators that can combat stress, anxiety and depression, often underlying factors in substance abuse. Furthermore, sport creates positive peer grouping, diverts individuals from negative influences and fosters healthy relationships.
Through the spirit of competition, the joy of sport, in pursuance of achieving several critical objectives, is made possible. These include:
Firstly, the interaction and unity built is encouraged. On the sports field, ranks and titles give way to teamwork and shared goals. The bonds forged here, in the spirit of healthy rivalry, will translate into stronger, more cohesive teams within the walls of our respective correctional facilities.
Secondly, sports champion fitness and wellness, at the same time nurtures a united stand in the resolve to abstain from drugs and substance abuse. I do agree that the pressures of your occupation can create vulnerabilities but let this gathering be a testament of our collective strength. Let us find our release, our comfort and our strength in healthy pursuits, in physical activity and in the support of our colleagues rather than in substances that offer only a fleeting and destructive escape from challenges.
Thirdly, this is a fertile ground for the exchange of ideas and sharing of experience. I, therefore, urge positive and productive interaction with colleagues from different stations. What you share is more than just a game; you share experiences, strategies and innovations that are vital for our growth and key in propelling the service to attain its constitutional mandate.
Your role is absolutely critical to the fabric of our nation.
The ZPCS forms an integral part of the frontline implementers of our country’s justice and rehabilitation policies.
When the Zimbabwe public speaks of second chances, it is you who manage that critical and difficult process.
When vital national interests such as maintenance of social cohesion are brought to the fore, it is the populace’s expectation that you manage some of the most challenging elements from within our population, ensuring that peace prevails, not only within correctional facilities but also across the nation.
You are the final, crucial link in the chain of justice, and your success is the nation’s success.
The ZPCS’ ambition of becoming the best correctional service provider in the region and beyond is quite clear.
This vision is not built on infrastructure or policy alone; it is built on you members of the service. A unified, healthy, motivated and professional officer is the cornerstone of an exemplary correctional service.
By investing in your well-being, the ZPCS is investing in our national ambition.
To beam to the public that indeed ZPCS officers are up to the task at hand, ZPCS Manicaland province has chosen to stand by the service’s 2025 theme “National Rehabilitation — A collective Responsibility”.
Effective rehabilitation requires collective efforts, and the collectivism can be embedded in relaxed environments such as this gala.
As I conclude, I urge you to take to the fields today and compete with vigour, to cheer with passion and to celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship.
Let this day be a source of rejuvenation and inspiration. Today is not about winning: it is either you will win or you will learn.
Therefore, you will return to your stations not just as winners of medals, but as champions of unity, wellness and professional excellence.
I would be unjust if I leave the podium without acknowledging the exploits of the Officer Commanding ZPCS Manicaland Province for organising this magnificent event. It is through your dedication, buttressed by the support of your subordinates, that inspires the ZPCS Administrative Province to keep going forward.
Carry the spirit of this gala forward, using the power of sport to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities.
