Walter Mswazie Masvingo Bureau
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) here is facing challenges in its quest to successfully rehabilitate offenders and equip them with life skills as most of them allegedly do not reveal their true identities. ZPCS provincial officer commanding Senior Assistant Commissioner Social Ndanga yesterday said authorities were finding it challenging to equip inmates with relevant skills for their survival after completing prison terms.

This, he said, was because most of them do not reveal their actual names when they are initially arrested by police.
“We face challenges with our inmates whom we take for training in various skills. Most of them use fake names and that makes it difficult for us when we recommend them for trade tests,” said Snr Asst Comm Ndanga.

He said Masvingo prisons has partnered with Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre, where inmates were taken for training in practical disciplines, but the challenges of identity were stalling progress.

“Our main aim is to have graduates in a number of fields coming from our inmates. We have churned out many graduates as an organisation, some are studying for higher degrees while in jail.

“However, our efforts are scuttled because most inmates, especially serial offenders do not want to be known by their real names.

“Last year, we had more than 150 inmates who were recommended to go to Mushagashe Training Centre and trained in engineering, bricklaying and electrical installation, but we were left counting our loses when none of them could produce their true identity documents.’’

He said as a result most of the inmates have been failing to undergo trade tests.
“This posed a big challenge as some bright students who would have passed their courses and selected to undergo trade tests with reputable companies ended up failing to produce identity documents,’’ said Snr Ass Com Ndanga.

Meanwhile, Snr Asst Ndanga said the prison population at Mutimurefu, Masvingo Remand Prison and Chiredzi Prisons has been reduced to manageable levels courtesy of the Presidential Amnesty, which saw more than 351 inmates being released form Masvingo’s three prisons.

President Mnangagwa ordered the release of more than 3 000 inmates from the country’s prisons as a way of reducing congestion.

“I am happy to note that since the amnesty we only have one ex-convict who has returned to jail in Chiredzi, out of over 300 pardoned inmates.

“It shows our rehabilitation efforts are effective although we would love all the pardoned to be responsible citizens,” said Snr Ass Comm Ndanga.

There are over 1 000 inmates housed at the three prisons in Masvingo province. Before the general amnesty, the prison population stood at 20 000 yet the country’s prison cells have a capacity of 17 000 inmates.

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Bureau
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) here is facing challenges in its quest to successfully rehabilitate offenders and equip them with life skills as most of them allegedly do not reveal their true identities. ZPCS provincial officer commanding Senior Assistant Commissioner Social Ndanga yesterday said authorities were finding it challenging to equip inmates with relevant skills for their survival after completing prison terms.

This, he said, was because most of them do not reveal their actual names when they are initially arrested by police.
“We face challenges with our inmates whom we take for training in various skills. Most of them use fake names and that makes it difficult for us when we recommend them for trade tests,” said Snr Asst Comm Ndanga.

He said Masvingo prisons has partnered with Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre, where inmates were taken for training in practical disciplines, but the challenges of identity were stalling progress.

“Our main aim is to have graduates in a number of fields coming from our inmates. We have churned out many graduates as an organisation, some are studying for higher degrees while in jail.

“However, our efforts are scuttled because most inmates, especially serial offenders do not want to be known by their real names.

“Last year, we had more than 150 inmates who were recommended to go to Mushagashe Training Centre and trained in engineering, bricklaying and electrical installation, but we were left counting our loses when none of them could produce their true identity documents.’’

He said as a result most of the inmates have been failing to undergo trade tests.
“This posed a big challenge as some bright students who would have passed their courses and selected to undergo trade tests with reputable companies ended up failing to produce identity documents,’’ said Snr Ass Com Ndanga.

Meanwhile, Snr Asst Ndanga said the prison population at Mutimurefu, Masvingo Remand Prison and Chiredzi Prisons has been reduced to manageable levels courtesy of the Presidential Amnesty, which saw more than 351 inmates being released form Masvingo’s three prisons.

President Mnangagwa ordered the release of more than 3 000 inmates from the country’s prisons as a way of reducing congestion.

“I am happy to note that since the amnesty we only have one ex-convict who has returned to jail in Chiredzi, out of over 300 pardoned inmates.

“It shows our rehabilitation efforts are effective although we would love all the pardoned to be responsible citizens,” said Snr Ass Comm Ndanga.

There are over 1 000 inmates housed at the three prisons in Masvingo province. Before the general amnesty, the prison population stood at 20 000 yet the country’s prison cells have a capacity of 17 000 inmates.