Prisons align services to new constitution

Prosper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE Commissioner-General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi, yesterday said the country’s prisons have started aligning their programmes with the provisions of the new constitution. In his welcome speech during the 145th pass-out parade of 647 recruits at Ntabazinduna Training Depot, Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi said the country’s prisons had adopted a paradigm shift towards ensuring that the inmates were fully equipped with survival skills after serving their sentences.

Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi said the signing into law of the new constitution by President Mugabe in May this year and his subsequent inauguration on 22 August paved way for the transformation of the prison services.

“Zimbabwe Prison Service in line with the new constitution is now recognised as the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS).
“The new name clearly spells out the major roles that we stand for as an organisation,” said Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi. The prisons aspect looks at both the physical and mental security facets whereas the correctional dwells on the rehabilitation thrust.”

Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi said ZPCS thrust goes beyond correctional services as it was mandated to enhance improved food production and self sustenance.

He said prisons have the capacity to generate their own income through cash crop production and commercialisation of workshop activities that relieve pressure on the fiscus.

Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi also said prisons had the mandate to maintain peace and tranquility by ensuring safety through the safe custody of offenders underpinned by sound rehabilitation of inmates.

He said the rehabilitation programmes were meant to ensure that inmates lived productive lives as law abiding citizens after serving their sentences.

Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi paid tribute to his Namibian counterpart Commissioner-General Evaristus Shikongo who was the reviewing officer at the ceremony.

He said Zimbabwe enjoys cordial relations with Namibia and described Comm-Gen Shikongo as a close friend who has imparted a lot of knowledge to him on the best practices of managing prisons and correctional services.

“We share the same liberation history with Namibia and in matters of defending our nations we never go on parallel lines.
“We have learnt a lot from Namibia and in future we will be sending our delegation to go there as part of our exchange learning programmes,” said Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi.