The Zambia Correctional Service has disclosed that government has spent over K40 million to improve the welfare of inmates in the country.

Zambia Correctional Service Deputy Commissioner General, Bwalya Kuyomba says the commission has used the funds to among other things procure over forty thousand blankets and mattresses for inmates in correctional facilities.

He said the other money will also be used to procure bunk beds for all correctional facilities in the country.

Mr Kuyomba disclosed that the correctional service command is committed to providing inmates with the same quality that is given to the larger society.

The Deputy Commissioner said this when he paid a courtesy call on the provincial administration in Kasama today.

Mr Kuyomba is in the province for a working visit to familiarize himself with facilities as well as to appreciate the challenges that officers are facing.

Meanwhile, Mr Kuyomba has noted with concern that most facilities in the country are congested.

He said the correctional service command is however looking for alternatives of decongesting the facilities in open air farms.

“We want to enhance rehabilitation so that they are able to contribute to the development of the country once they are back in society,” he said.

The Deputy Commissioner General also disclosed that Northern Province will soon benefit from the second phase of the construction of housing units in the country.

And Northern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Lewis Mwape has thanked the Correctional Service for the various activities being undertaken by the service.

He cited developments in the agricultural sector which he said are contributing to the country’s food security.

Mr Mwape also called for the need to have pivot centers in the province in order to implement irrigation practices so that the agricultural sector is enhanced even more.

“This partnership is what we want to see as a province and country and as the provincial administration we are always ready to support such causes so that our friends who are inmates can also be comfortable in the facilities,” he said.

Mr Mwape added that most correctional facilities in the province were constructed in the colonial times hence the need to upgrade the infrastructure.

He also noted that some of the challenges of officers in the province include lack of housing units for the growing number of officers in the service and lack of proper infrastructure for female inmates.

“There is also a need for infrastructure in the new districts to avoid the movement of suspects from a district that has no court to the one that has as this is proving to be resource consuming.”

Zambia’s Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary for Administration, Mrs. Thandiwe Daka Oteng, has stressed that the Zambian Government has a duty to respect and promote human rights. Speaking at the 3963rd Meeting, 137th Session, Human Rights Committee of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) in Geneva, Switzerland, Mrs. Oteng outlined the progress that Zambia has made in meeting international standards for living conditions for inmates, legal aid desks for inmates and suspects, and drafting bills to strengthen the capacity of the Human Rights Commission.

The Zambian delegation, led by Mrs. Oteng, also recognized the urgent need to draft legislation corresponding to the instruments to which Zambia is a signatory and to support victims of human rights violations. The delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Lands, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, the Zambia Law Development Commission, the Department of Immigration, the Zambia Police, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, and Zambia Correctional Services.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s Minister of Justice, Mulambo Haimbe, has announced Zambia’s commitment to amend the bill of rights in part III of the Zambian Constitution through a national referendum. Speaking during the 13th International Meeting of Justice Ministers in Rome, Italy, Mr. Haimbe appealed for support from cooperating partners to help review the bill of rights to protect and promote human rights in the country.

Mr. Haimbe emphasized that Zambia must keep its commitment to human rights as provided in Article 15 of the Zambian Constitution, which prohibits torture, inhumane or degrading punishment, or other like treatment. He also noted that the amending of the bill of rights would be in support of Zambia’s commitment to the International Bill on Human Rights, to which the country is a signatory.

Furthermore, Mr. Haimbe revealed that President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, had commuted the sentences of 390 inmates on death row to life imprisonment, using his power of prerogative of mercy. However, he expressed concern that even with the abolition of the death penalty, Article 12(1) of the Zambian Constitution permits the enactment of a law or a provision under any code to deprive life through a death sentence. He urged the need to review and replace the article to prevent any future government from enacting a law on the death penalty.

The International Meeting of Justice Ministers has been organized by the Community of Santi’egidio, with the theme of “A world without the Death Penalty.”

A 28-year-old man of Kapiri Mposhi has been sentenced to 30-day community service or six month imprisonment in default for willfully damaging a game slot machine commonly known as Bonanza after losing his K 15 bet.

Before Kapiri Mposhi Magistrate, Jammy Mukumbi was Bright Mwenda of Ndeke Compound charged with one count of willful Malicious Damage to Property contrary to section 335 (1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Facts are that Mwenda, on 19 November 2022 around 22:00 hours willfully damaged a Bonanza machine at Central Bar valued at K 7,000 the property of Obby Mwila by punching its screen using his fists after losing his K 15 stake on the bet.

In this matter Mwenda pleaded not guilty to the offence prompting the case to go for trial where the prosecution called three witnesses among them the complainant, Obby Mwila and bar tender, Cliford Kunda and constable Humphrey Simba, an arresting Zambia Police officer.

In his evidence to the court, PW1, Obby Mwila narrated how he was called by the bar tender around 22:00 hours that someone had damaged the machine after punching on its screen and that it had a broken glass and had stopped working.

PW 2 was the bar tender, Cliford Kunda who told the court how Mwenda got frustrated and punched the glass interface of the Bonanza machine after losing a game where he had slotted K 15 one kwacha coins.

Mwenda was found guilty and asked the owner of the Bonanza machine for forgiveness stating that he had learnt a lesson from the period he had been kept in police custody.

In passing judgement, Magistrate Mukumbi noted that the state had demonstrated that Mwenda had malice afford thought as he was aware of the probable consequence of his action and had the requisite state of mind blameworthy at commission of the crime.

However, Magistrate Mukumbi decided to consider the offence as a misdemeanor and not a felony.

This is because the prosecution were uncertain and failed to provide information on the repair of the machine adding that the K 7000 property worth presented to the court was excessive as it was a replacement value of the machine not for damages.

According to the legal proviso, where the damage to property is in excess K 5000 one has committed a felony and is liable to imprisonment for not less than five years and not more than 12 years while one is liable to up-to two years imprisonment if the offence is a misdemeanor.

” It is established here that the accused willfully and unlawfully damaged the property but I will sentence him as though he had committed a misdemeanor and I impose a 30 day community service or six month in default imprisonment with hard labour.

The Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has embarked on the construction of a water scheme to provide piped water to three compounds and some public institutions in Kapiri Mposhi District.

The water project is part of the over K 4 million water project being rolled out in 11 districts of Central Province to provide safe and clean water to unserved settlements by the water utility, Lukanga Water and Sanitation Company in the region.

Kapiri Mposhi Town Council Public Relations Officer, Chris Mulaliki says once completed the water project will provide safe and clean water to over 70,000 people in Matilyo, Riverside and Fairview compounds.

Mr Mulaliki states that the project will also see public institutions that include Matilyo Primary and Secondary Schools and the clinic connected to the piped water network.

He has disclosed that households and the public facilities currently depend on shallow wells for water giving rise to high prevalence of diarrhea diseases in the areas.

“We want to commend the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation for funding this project under the 11 piped schemes in Central Province to connect Matilyo, Fairview and Riverside compounds and Matilyo school and clinic to water reticulation network because these areas have been experiencing water challenges for a long time now,” Mr Mulaliki says.

Mr Mulaliki has appealed to beneficiary communities to safeguard the water system against vandals.

And acting Council Director of Works, Lackson Mbao says the contract being executed by a local contractor, Capricorn Innovation LTD, will provide communal taps in the three compounds and public institutions.

” We have a network of two Kilometers to be serviced by pillar taps at public facilities and selected sites in the compounds surrounding these institutions so that people can easily access clean water once the project is completed,” Mr Mbao says.

Mr Mbao, who is also Kapiri Mposhi District Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator, notes that the water project will enhance hygiene levels and reduce the burden of waterborne diseases in the areas.

“This project will help curb diarrhea diseases that have been prevalent. Statistics from the Clinic has shown an increase in diarrhea diseases so this project is important in helping alleviating this issue of diseases,” Mr Mbao says.

And Matilyo Secondary School acting Head Teacher, Musonda Lumbwe has commended government for providing an alternative source of clean and safe water saying for some time now pupils totaling over 2000 and teachers have been using water from a shallow well which frequently dries up.

“We don’t have a stable source of water…we had a well which dried up sometime back so the coming of this project is really going to help…. especially where there are alot of people like this school,” Mr Musonda says.

Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Namani Monze says President Hakainde Hichilema has demonstrated political will in the implementation of the Decentralisation Policy as part of the Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP).

Dr Monze said President Hichilema has done this through the increase in the allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from a paltry K1.6 million as of 2021 to K 25.7 million in 2022 and then to K 28.3 million in 2023.

The Southern Province Permanent Secretary explained that the increase in the CDF allocation is testimony of the government’s resolve to achieve fiscal decentralisation that successive governments have lamentably failed to do.

This came to light when Dr Monze who was accompanied by Provincial Local Government Officer, Charlston Hamulyata, Provincial Planning Unit (PPU) Assistant Director, Michael Inambao and Planner, Exildah Matongo called on Chirundu District Commissioner, Patrick Kasambila at his office today.

He said the fund is meant to enhance community development so that ordinary people can also benefit from the national cake in line with the presidential directive.

Dr. Monze explained that his team is the district will meet key stakeholders in order to demystify the notion that the management of the CDF is the preserve of the local authority to the exclusion of others.

He further explained that the CDF is government money that is meant to accelerate community lead developmental projects initiated by the local people in their respective wards as they are well positioned to know their own needs.

Earlier, Chirundu District Commissioner, Patrick Kasambila said there’s need to formalise the involvement of District Commissioners in the CDF management in line with the presidential pronouncements on the matter.

Mr. Kasambila bemoaned the seeming reluctance by Chirundu Town Council to avail his office with vital information regarding the implementation of the CDF projects.

He pointed out that his office is only co-opted in the monitoring of ongoing CDF projects without having background knowledge on the scope, status and other related issues.

Mr. Kasambila added that the current scenario has made his office to effectively monitor and evaluate ongoing CDF projects to ensure that the government gets value for money.

And contributing on the same issue, Chirundu District Administrative Officer Musonda Lunkuntwe told Dr. Monze and his entourage that the district administration had identified challenges that affect effective coordination of government programmes.

Mr. Lunkuntwe cited the challenges such as defective and ineffective communication systems between the district administration and the local authority which also affects the free flow of information to the civic leaders.

He further cited inadequate transport, office space among others as affecting the smooth running of government operations.

Mr. Lunkuntwe was however quick to mention that the district administration has devised several innovations to address some of the challenges to ensure that quality public service delivery is delivered to the general public.

The Chirundu District Administrative added that the district administration has enhanced the flow of information to the local authority and was optimistic that they will also reciprocate the gesture so that civic leaders and ward development communities can be abreast with the government programmes.

The Southern Provincial Permanent Secretary and his entourage are in the district to orient the district administration, the local authority, the Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) and Ward Development Committees (WDCs) on the presidential directives on the management of the fund.