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The Zim Morning Post team had a tour of the two correctional facilities last Friday and inmates raised concerns on overcrowding and hunger. They also expressed grave concerns over poor diet.
Mutare Remand Prison has a standard capacity of holding 175 inmates , but it currently it holds 493 a situation that s put pressure on resources management.
The Mutare Remand Prison Member in Charge Maplan Kakoto appealed to corporates and stakeholders to assist on various challenges affecting facing the prison.
“As a prison we want to maintain the human rights requirements. Government is trying its best and it cannot do it alone,” he said.
“We are appealing to our stakeholders to chip in with food and medication. We are facing a critical shortage of drugs,” Kakoto added.
According to Kakoto, the overcrowding has been caused by the fact that the prison is accommodating prisoners from Mutare, Mutasa and Nyanga districts.
The remand prison is also facing critical supplies of water due to water rationing by the Mutare City Council.
“We are only surviving on borehole water and we are now appealing to have some water tanks,” he said.
Inmates said they were living under terrible conditions not suitable for human habitation.
“We are in hell. The cells are overcrowded and there is poor balanced diet,” he said.
The remand prison’s diet include dried vegetables and beans from the prison’s garden.
The inmates also complained of the flushing system and shortage of blankets.
The ZPCS Manicaland Public Relations Officer Liberty Mhlanga said the facility had lined up various rehabilitation programs.
“We have courses like motor mechanics, panel beating, auto electrics, sewing, poultry and animal husbandry, among others,” explained Mhlanga.
The inmates also requested for various sporting equipment and items covering chess, music and soccer. ZimMorningPost
