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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
There is need to review Government policy and allow the State to employ ex-prisoners in its various departments as part of measures to reintegrate them back into society, legislators said on Friday. Deputy Commissioner-General Alford Dube, who is responsible for administration in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, said Government should play a leading role in reintegrating ex-prisoners into society by considering them for employment.
She said this during an interactive tour by Members of Parliament at Harare Central Prison where legislators met inmates ahead of their football and netball matches yesterday.
“When inmates leave jail we would have given them several and diverse skills but the challenge they have is that of stigma and no one wants to employ them. It is our appeal to you as legislators to review the necessary legislation and policies to ensure that Government takes a leading role in employing these people,” said Deputy Commissioner-General Dube.
“If Government fails to employ them, what about the corporate world? We urge Government to absorb them in their various departments. There is need for review of necessary legislation otherwise our rehabilitation efforts go to waste,” he said.
Several institutions including Government have a policy that does not employ persons with criminal record. ZPCS deputy officer commanding Harare Metropolitan Province, Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth Banda echoed the same sentiments.
She said a lot of effort was made to rehabilitate prisoners and it was critical to have a relook at policies. The MPs also toured Chikurubi female prison where they interacted with inmates.
During the tour, Yvonne Musarurwa, one of the MDC-T activists convicted of murdering a police officer in Glen View, Inspector Petros Mutedza, complained about the period that they had waited for their sentence to be delivered.
High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu convicted Musarurwa, Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maengehama in early September this year but was still to give sentence.
“It is now three months that we were convicted of murder but no sentence has been pronounced on me and my colleagues. Pronouncement of sentence will give some finality to the case and help us to plan our lives.
“At the moment there is restlessness among us and our families. We have no complaints with the manner we are being treated in prison despite challenges of food, owing to economic challenges but our concern is in respect of finality to our case,” said Musarurwa.
Among the legislators who toured the prisons were Cdes Terrence Mukupe (Harare East), Davison Musabayana (Wedza), Magna Mudyiwa (Mudzi West) Tongesayi Mudambo (Harare North) Wonder Mashange and Trevor Saruwaka (Mutasa Central)
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