Opposition Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has appealed to Republican President Edgar Lungu to consider releasing pregnant women prisoners and those with circumstantial children.
Mr. Sinkamba says in a statement to ZANIS yesterday that Zambian prisons, are among the most congested and unhygienic in the world adding that with the official prison capacity of 6,100 bed spaces, latest statistics show that the country has a total population of 18, 300 prisoners representing a 300 per cent (300%) overcrowding in all the country’s prisons.
In some instances ten inmates share bed-space meant for one. This congestion not only results in overcrowding, but also creates problems of hygiene, sanitation, and general poor living conditions. The conditions are aggravated by the fact over 4,000 or 22 percent of the prison population lives with HIV, he said.
“ The current system does not meet the basic needs of victims. It is a struggle to remain physically and mentally healthy in Zambian prisons, particularly for women and their children. Of the total prison population while 1 per cent (1%) is women while circumstantial children across the country account 0.4% of the prison population, “ said the opposition leader..
Mr. Sinkamba has said that it is commendable that President Lungu pardoned 332 death row convicts by reducing their sentences to life imprisonment saying that this gesture was typically symbolic considering that no prisoner has ever been executed at Mukobeko for the last 18 years (since 1997).
“ However, we plead that the President extends his pardon to women and circumstantial children in prisons whom we believe are more deserving cases than the death row prisoners, “ he said.
On his party’s policy on the matter, Mr. Simkamba said as a result of significant number women enter prisons while pregnant or just after delivery, children are born in prisons or enter prisons to live with their incarcerated mothers thereby rendering them circumstantial prisoners.
“ The children end up being circumstantially subjected to tough prison-life of overcrowding, unhygienic, poor sanitation, and general poor living conditions. It is an extreme struggle for the mothers and children to be physically and mentally healthy. The children have to endure all this tough life for no fault of their own. It is inhuman and unacceptable to keep them is such a state of affairs, “ he said.
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He said his Party will undertake a major review of women’s prisons to change the status quo. “ In this regard, the Green Party plans to support the establishment of ‘Family Houses’ for pregnant women and mothers to ensure good sanitation and hygienic conditions to ensure a conducive environment for infants and young children, “ he said.
He added that his party will provide adequate facilities, including taking into account overseas best practice for the design and management of prisons for women and offer adequate rehabilitation and skill development programmes for women in prisons.
“ We will allow adequate visitation rights for mothers and children, and that these rights ought not be removed as a form of punishment as well as Provide support the establishment of small-scale well-resourced nursery and pre-schools for circumstantial children countrywide, to end denial of early-child education rights for babies and young children in prisons, as a means to intensively address serious problem of circumstantial children prisoners, “ said Mr. Sinkamba.
I am sure he will release them if they can sing a song of praise for him. I have always said, when Edgar said he had no vision, re really meant it. Now he has also proved to have poor judgement.
I we you should think twice before you open your beak.Our president Edgar Changwa Lungu is a president of all Zambians.Despite your statements he remains our beloved president beyond 2016 and he wining 2016 elections.We will campaign for to the last drop.
Our president chose to release abusers over pregnant women.
Remembering how Guy Scott condemned the previous government after he as a new vice president visited Mukobeko prison. He said prisons in Zambia were hell and people were living like pigs and how PF was going to do something about it. We are going to 5 years now. Another PF lie……………the list is endless. Aba banthu imwe……………..
I told many people who complained about the release of fake General Kanene to be patient and that they would see if the guy had really reformed. Here we are, the guy has already battered his wife. The Special Ambassador against gender based violence as proclaimed by Edgar Chagwa Lungu, His Excellency.
So getting pregnant in prison is the ticket to freedom!!
The best way to decongest prisons is by constructing many prisons not releasing prisoners. We can’t afford living together with the lawless people.
Well spoken Sinkamba. Releasing women in such conditions is honourable than releasing Kanene who never showed remorse even at a time he was sent to jail. Well spoken indèed.
The reality is that our prisons are not reformatory – they just harden the inmates. The sooner we humanise them the better.
We don’t release people anyhow just because one is a pregnant woman even if she hasn’t reformed.Remember people are incarcerated with a view to see them reform and become better citizens tomorrow.So the release of Kanene should not be misunderstood because Kanene is reformed.So Sinkamba don’t mislead Zambians if you are intoxicated with your chamba.Galu iwe!
Kanene beat up his wife you twat and you call that being reformed? Is there a brain in there or is it the reason am hearing an echo?
Can someone educate me, when is the President supposed to exercise the prerogative of mercy, is it anytime anyhow, what should be the basis or guide. Because I see the judicial system turning into a joke