dyton mupawaenda
Arron Nyamayaro
THIRTY-NINE children visited their mothers at Chikurubi Female Prison on Monday.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) opened cells for a family week to allow inmates to meet their loved ones.
About 146 people, including 30 men and 77 women, visited Chikurubi Female Prison on the first day of the Family Week.
About 21 babies are accompanying their mothers at the prison while eight women are expecting babies.
The prison officer in charge, Superintendent Gloria Tamanikwa, told H-Metro that allowing visits to inmates helps in the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
“It leaves our inmates with joy and hope that they are loved and will be accepted back into the community upon release.
“In the correctional aspect, the inmates are allowed to discuss with their loved ones freely without supervision from our officers.
“We are urging people to come in their numbers to visit the inmates.
“They are free to come with kids until Sunday when the Family Week is expected to end.
“Rehabilitation of inmates is a corrective responsibility, it needs community members and prison officers so that we do not see incarcerated inmates committing other crimes. Prison is not their home,” said Supt Tamanikwa.
She said one of the expecting mothers gave birth to a baby girl on Monday.
About 13 foreigners are among the 121 inmates on remand.
At Harare Central Prison, a number of visitors found time to be with their loved ones and even enjoy a braai and danced to music.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter