A 75-Year ex- prisoner Davies Mwaba has submitted to the legal and justice Sector Reforms Commission that all prisons in Zambia be turned into skills training centre so that convicts can acquire skills and income while in prison.
Dr. Mwaba who was incarcerated during the liberation of Zambia and after independence observed that the country under-utilized human resource by keeping prisoners confined instead of teaching them skills and utilizing them to work on infrastructural projects.
Dr. Mwaba noted that most of the projects that are being done by Chinese contractors can also be done by prisoners once they are empowered with skills.
Dr. Mwaba who was once imprisoned at Mukobeko maximum Prison for 18 months noted that current prisons are meant to punish inmates instead of being correctional institutions saying prisons are likely to repeat the crime if they serve the sentence without undergoing reformation.
He said Zambia needs to transform its prisons from what they are to correctional centres where inmates will leave with professions and enough resources raised from projects undertaken while in incarceration.
He added that instead of wasting resources on feeding prisoners, the prisons service should be self-sustaining and should be allowed to tender for projects which will be executed by prisoners.
Dr. Mwaba who is a medical Doctor further recommended that prisons should be built away from town as they outskirts have vast space for skills training and suggested that such places should be called prison’s village.
And Dr. Mwaba has observed that the Zambian judiciary has pegged itself out of reach of the ordinary Zambia as the citizens cannot afford to raise finances for both the writ of summon and legal representation.
He noted that the Legal Aid Board exists but the logistical expenses to access their services are beyond the reach of poor Zambians who constitute the majority in the country.
But Law Association of Zambia President George Chisanga wondered whether professionals who are convicted like Dr. Mwaba require retraining in crafts and how they could be utilized to earn some income for the country.
Mr. Chisanga also noted that establishing prisons villages where prisoners should be kept and trained will bring discrimination towards inmates once they are released and integrated back into the society.
Meanwhile, another petitioner Kennedy Malama submitted that the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) should engage highly qualified lecturers with 10 years law practicing experience to tutor students and not practicing lawyers who deliberately fail students to avoid competition in the industry.
Mr Malama stated that practicing lawyers who are currently engaged as lecturers contribute to the high numbers of students failing at ZIALE because they are competitors to them.
This is the most intelligent thing I have heard come out of a Zambian in a long time! Dr.Davies Mwaba hats off to you. So we do have intelligent educated people in Zambia they just don’t have platforms.But the LAZ president George Chisanga Zoona! After words of wisdom he opens his mouth to reveal foolishness.How did lawyers even elect such a man with poor thinking capabilities…..
Why reward a Prisoner. Why reward someone that ook a life? No Prisons should be twice as horrible as they are so people don’t offend and don’t get a chance to go there. Just maybe I will deter murderes, Paedophiles etc. Horrible suggestions, probably UPND iea. You dont rewad a wrong. Let someone kill your parent and see if you would want the Killer to be comfy and getting an education or any skill of any kind. idio*s
Thanks
Prison is not College, lets get this straight. If anything make chain gangs and let those criminals build roads etc!
That’s an excellent idea. As on release they won’t re-offend and at least intergrate and contribute to society. I take my hat off to you sir.
Because law is not for the elite.
I have counted so many mattresses, contrary to what was in my head!!
The primary function of imprisonment is punishment so that society gets retribution. However, it would also be noble to equip the prisoners with life sustaining skills so that upon release they become useful members of society. It worked so well in the past, and it can work again. Nevertheless, not every prisoner needs skills training, but the skills they already possess may be very useful in prison. take the case of a medical doctor for instance…, access for treatment of prisoners would be easy.
Oh shut up you sound like a an ex prisoner
It is wrong to reward prisoners in any shape or form
Go back to prison sir
Thanks
@Mushota
Firstly, I’m not a “sir”, because I’m female. Secondly, I’m a well respected legal practitioner with many years standing at the Zambian Bar, as well as a solicitor for England and Wales. Fine, we jail them and take them to prison, what do they do in prison, lick your bottom? You have a deranged mind, that’s why you spend half your time on this blog. You are just a loafer who pretends to be in the diaspora sir!
A very good idea…
Well Australia is an example of a prison. Reforms, affirmative policy have made the ‘ prison’ a force to reckon with and sovereign.
Zambia needs to smell the coffee off its resourceful soil.
I understand muderers and pedophilers and Rapist etc do not need to be walking the streets as free members of society. But I do believe in prisons being rehabilitation centers. Don’t be ignorant fellow Zambians that Beleive otherwise. When these people come back on the streets, you want them reformed and ready for a positive input to society. I am not saying don’t punish the bad guys, let’s be clear on that.
There are a lot of people wrongfully convicted especially in countries like Zambia that lucks the proper technology, educated man power, resources proper DNA testing “(CORRUPTION issues) etc. those people diserve fair day in court. And the most definitely need thier rights to a proper education.