By Brian Okoth
The Zimbabwean government on Thursday released more than 4,000 inmates in efforts to decongest prisons.
Zimbabwe Prisons Correctional Service (ZPCS) said the inmates were freed under a presidential amnesty.
ZPCS said a total of 4,270 inmates were released.
“We would like to appeal to the society at large to embrace and accept the inmates who have been released,” the agency said in a statement, adding: “Those aggrieved [by the inmates’ actions] are encouraged to forgive them.”
Zimbabwe prisons, which have a capacity of 17,000, had been overcrowded as the facilities, prior to the presidential pardon, held more than 22,000 detainees.
ZPCS Spokesperson Meya Khanyezi, however, denied that the decision was made to decongest the prisons.
“It was not about decongestion. This was just a noble gesture by the president [Emmerson Mnangagwa],” she told AFP.
Among those released, were inmates who had served at least three-quarters of their sentences, or a tenth of their jail terms if aged over 60 years.
Violent convicts as well as those serving time for robbery, treason and public order and security offences were excluded from the amnesty.
Zimbabwe is gearing up for a general election in July or August 2023. President Mnangagwa is expected to announce the election date.
In October 2022, the ruling party, Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), unanimously endorsed Mnangagwa to seek another five-year mandate as president.
High inflation, power cuts and worsening poverty levels are some of the challenges the president will be seeking to confront.
