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Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
MS Rutendo Katuka, a 27-year-old woman who is married to a prison officer stationed at Mazowe Prison Farm, has been confined to rural life due to a shortage of institutional accommodation.
Despite her desire to be with her husband, the young mother of one could not visit him because he shared staff accommodation with colleagues. As a result, she must wait for her husband to visit their rural home.
This situation reflects the struggles faced by many prison officers assigned to work at Mazowe Prison Farm.
Recently, the Special Advisor to the President and Cabinet on Monitoring the Implementation of Government Programmes and Projects, Dr Joram Gumbo, toured the Mazowe Prison Institutional Accommodation project. This project includes semi-detached houses and bachelor quarters, which can accommodate over 40 officers.Dr Gumbo expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, which is being implemented using funds from the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). He noted that shared accommodation for married couples can negatively impact family dignity and decrease overall motivation among prison officers.
Providing quality accommodation for prison officers is essential for improving job satisfaction, focus and productivity, said Dr Gumbo.
Institutional accommodation projects are underway at other prisons, including Anju, Chikurubi and Khami.
The objective is to address significant infrastructure and socio-economic development deficits that have historically affected all 48 prisons and their 32 satellite facilities nationwide. Dr Gumbo said out of 14 000 authorised positions for prison officers, only 12 000 are filled.
“Prison officers are expected to be available for duty at all times and can be assigned to any location in the country, living away from their duty stations poses considerable risks to their safety and hinders their effectiveness,” he said.
Accommodation remains a considerable challenge for Zimbabwe’s prisons and correctional services system.
Dr Gumbo also observed that the limited maintenance of inmate facilities is largely due to budgetary constraints.
“I will ensure that this project is brought to the attention of the relevant authorities to unlock the necessary funding for its completion,” he said. Dr Gumbo commended the proactive approach taken by the Mazowe Prison management in implementing profitable business ventures such as horticulture, wheat production and public-private partnerships in brick moulding, expressing confidence that prisons may soon become self-sufficient.
He recommended that the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) explore possibilities for privatising prisons, suggesting that private players may have better resources to accommodate changes in the prison population.”I urge you to conduct thorough research to explore the feasibility of this recommendation,” Dr Gumbo said.
In additionally, he praised the strategy of upskilling inmates, noting that some inmates at Mazowe Prison have begun receiving training in brick moulding as part of their reintegration process. Commissioner Charity Gezi, the Officer Commanding ZPCS Mashonaland Central, said they were working on providing accommodation for prison officers.
On the project they are working on, the installation of the sewer reticulation system, electricity and painting, are pending due to limited funding. “Seven semi-detached houses and single barracks are already occupied, but those in the single barracks are sharing accommodation,” she said.
“We are facing overcrowding of inmates and insufficient accommodation for our staff.”
Mr Timothy Maregere, the Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland Central, said some projects in the province under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) have been affected by funding challenges.
Mr Maregere, who was representing the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Christopher Magomo, said effective monitoring and evaluation are crucial for achieving significant outcomes. “This provides a framework to assess the effectiveness of strategies, identify areas for improvement and adapt as necessary,” he said.
“In his wisdom, President Mnangagwa deemed it critical to have a Special Advisor ensure that Government resources are used efficiently and that promises to citizens are delivered promptly.”
Mr Maregere called for swift release of funds to complete outstanding projects for communities in the province to access the services they need to thrive.
Online Reporter