(Last Updated on November 25, 2020 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Foreign and mentally challenged inmates at Chikurubi Female Prison have asked authorities to quickly intervene and address the overpopulation issue in the prison in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
These concerns were raised during a recent tour of the prison by officials from Nestlé Zimbabwe, Zim Trade, Polylife, Bravo Petroleum and Progil Investment.
The five companies toured the prison in order to assess the situation and find out how they can assist.
The prison has been overpopulated for weeks now as it is housing over 30 foreign inmates who are waiting for their deportation papers to be processed.
One Malawian inmate who refused to be identified said their diet was being negatively affected because many were not receiving visitors due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
“Due to Covid-19 restrictions, inmates are not being visited and that is affecting our diet, shortage of food and other personal protection equipment when we as foreigners expected to be taken to our countries,” she said.
She also added that food was scarce and that posed challenges as they had to prioritise other women who are nursing young babies in prison.
She added that,” Food is scarce here and we do not see any reason to be counted at the kitchen queueing for food considering that some of the inmates are nursing their babies.”