Musicians donate to prisoners

Tawanda Marwizi Arts Correspondent
Several musicians on Tuesday visited prisoners at Harare Central Prison and Chikurubi Prison and donated various goods.
Artistes who were present includes the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services ambassador Suluman Chimbetu, Leonard Zhakata, Cynthia Mare, Joyce Simeti, Sebastain Magacha, Vabati VaJehova, Pax Gomo and Dereck Mpofu.
Chimbetu donated 20 tons of maize and a water pump that will be used at Chikurubi female prison while Simeti joined hands with Vabati vaJehova in donating cloths and 10 pairs of scissors.

Zhakata will assist some prisoners at Harare Central Prison in recording an album. Musicians took time to interact with the prisoners as part of the rehabilitation process.

They performed some of their songs much to the delight of the inmates.
Chimbetu said the inmates should know there is life after prison and this rehabilitation process needs every citizen participate.

“It is the society that was offended so we should learn to accept them when their jail terms expire and also to support them with various projects so that they can learn to support their families through lawful means,” he said.

Zhakata said there was need to support the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services on their rehabilitation programmes. “This is not for ZPCS only but we have to work as a team in this rehabilitation process,” he said.

in his speech ZPCS Commissioner-General Paradzai Zimondi hailed artists for their assistance in the rehabilitation programme.
“Your visit to the stigmatised offenders is one of the charitable activities you have carried out considering that rehabilitation of offenders is not the sole responsibility of ZPCS,” he said.

He said it is the duty of the offended society, charity organisations, the Prisons and Correctional authorities to assist the offenders to successfully rejoin the society and live as law abiding citizens.

“The kind of donations musicians have made would go a long way in boosting our stocks as well as addressing food shortages,” he said.