The Prisoner Re-integration and Empowerment Organization (PREO) has asked aspiring presidential candidates to explain how they will help alleviate the various challenges in-mates are facing countrywide.
PREO chairperson Derrick Malumo said it was important for presidential candidates to explain what they will do to improve prison conditions in terms of diet, sanitation and infrastructure.
Mr. Malumo told ZANIS in Lusaka today that most prisons were constructed before 1964 and designed to cater for a small number of inmates.
He further said at the moment the prison population is growing and the prisons are accommodating more than the expected number of inmates .
Mr. Malumo said among the congested prisons are Lusaka Central which was built to accommodate 600 prisoners and Kamfinsa prison with an initial 800 capacity and now accommodates more than 1000 prisoners with no proper ventilation.
And Mr Malumo has challenged presidential candidates to assure the nation about what they are going to do to integrate ex-prisoners in society.
Mr Malumo also asked the political leaders to highlight how they will take care of children whose parents are in prison.
Mr Malumo said while politicians are campaigning there is need for them to explain deliberate policies they will put in place to help these children if elected as Zambia’s next president.
Call for a debate ALL you NGOs CivilOrganisations, PoliticalParties, Citizens etc.
It is very important for the electorates to listen to our aspiring candidates debate on issues affecting our country i.e. violence by PF.
Viva #DEBATE.
he they say it themselves. When we say abashilika are complaining and want to change PF failures, but they are being intimidated by PF’ defense minister who is a former Home Affairs minister…. You all go out stoning the helicopters.
They should care considering quite a few either belong in there or are headed there…
release all prisoners?
BONSE MULI FIKOPO, WHEN DID PRISONER WADDER BECAME A POLITICIAN?
BA PF TWALATAMPA UKUMICHITA AKANTU.
Ask PF who are in power if you are seeing prosperity with them vote for them.You. know that HH has the best vision for Zambia & you still want to hear & decide-Very backward chaps.You have seen all the miseries Zambians have been subjected to under PF- what more do you want to see?
The state of the Zambian prisons is deplorable just as outlined by Mr. Malumo. Very little has been done to improve the facilities or conditions of the prisons. Even though prisons are for offenders they still have to be treated in a humane manner. However, the question posed by Mr. Ma lumo to government, “how they will take care of children whose parents are in prison,” is somehow misplaced. Which govt takes care of family of criminals? If the government is struggling to take care of the inmates how can it take care of families? Too much is expected of the government.
Its important that we understand that the prison infrastruture in zambia is very old. One should knnow that we are offenders in one way or the other.
The courts are a solution to some problems face in prison. Some people in prison today are there because there have no money.