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Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service (ZPCS) yesterday introduced new uniforms for inmates while Government commissioned 62 vehicles as part of efforts to improve efficiency and mobility within the organisation.
Female prisoners will now put on pink dresses whilst men will wear orange long sleeved shirts and trousers in winter and short sleeved shirts and shorts in summer.
Prisoners who were putting on new uniforms could not hide their joy saying the uniforms were unique, strong and colourful.
The vehicles, which include 13 five tonne lorries, 25 Ford Ranger single cab trucks, seven Nissan NP300 pick-up trucks, 14 Toyota GD6 4×4 pick-up trucks and two 64-seater buses were commissioned yesterday at Harare Central prison.
Of late ZPCS has been battling to transport prisoners and suspects to courts while the mobility of prison officers has also been affected.
Speaking during the commissioning of vehicles Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the vehicles were critical to the security and defence of the nation.
“We now have a strong emphasis on the correctional aspect and reintegration aspect and as such, we wanted our officers also to be transformed. We then realised that our officers were incapacitated in terms of transportation because for you to carry out your duties well, you need to be mobile.
“I want to thank (ZPCS) Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu since we used to make a lot of noise that we needed a lot of vehicles at prisons. This is part of the security sector so we said we need it fully operational in terms of transport.
“We are pleased today that the President, being a former Minister of Justice, quickly understood our plight and it was very easy to talk to him,” he said.
Commissioner General Chihobvu thanked President Mnangagwa for the vehicles, saying they would go a long way in alleviating transport problems and motivating officers to perform their duties well.
“We want to thank President Mnangagwa for his efforts to ensure that ZPCS is mobile. These vehicles are going to be very useful in the organisation. Prison officers will discharge their duties well. We used to hire vehicles and sometimes we used to borrow. I am foreseeing enhanced production.
“Motivation is not about money but giving officers vehicles to discharge their duties is the best motivation in the organisation,” he said.
Online Reporter