Vice President Mujuru calls for support for ex-convicts

“Sound re-integration of prisoners into society will help to break the cycle,” she said.

Government, VP Mujuru said, will continue supporting and improving the lives of prisoners through correctional programmes.
“Our aim as Government, through the Zimbabwe Prison Service, is to ensure that all our prisons help to mould prisoners to contribute to society upon release.
“Thus, they are trained in various skills, which they can use for the development of the country. To this end, Government has, in many of our prisons, introduced skills training programmes and business lessons.”

She said a holistic approach was needed to reduce crime.
VP Mujuru urged families of ex-offenders to “care and receive” them back home.
“By so doing we help restore their dignity and self-esteem. Business could also help by employing repentant ex-prisoners so that they can make use of skills acquired in prisons.

“Society and relatives should also regularly visit inmates to encourage and support their efforts to reform,” she said. 
The VP said traditional leaders, being custodians of cultural values, had a significant role to play in the reintegration of prisoners back into their rural communities.
“They should take the lead in preaching forgiveness and peace with ex-prisoners who have reformed.

“I am impressed to note that PORA has been active also in rural areas. This is indeed commendable because some organisations tend to focus on urban areas, thus leaving our rural areas where most of the people are,” she said.

PORA patron Dr Desire Sibanda said plans were under way to build a holding centre for ex-prisoners who failed to locate their relatives.
“They will undertake some farming ventures at the centre to promote self-help initiatives. We are also going to visit prisons regularly and conduct re-integration lessons and raise society’s awareness to forgive and receive repentant ex-prisoners back to their homes,” he said.

PORA, a voluntary organisation, was formed to assist with the re-integration of prisoners back to the society, based on biblical principles.