PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged prisons and correctional service officers to adhere to policies and procedures as directed by the newly-enacted Prisons and Correctional Services Act.
He was speaking at a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) passout parade in Ntabazinduna yesterday.
President Mnangagwa said the New Prisons and Correctional Service Act has become the new guiding legal instrument that must be followed to the latter by prison officers.
He said the new law will transform the country’s prisons and correctional system in line with international best practices.
“Lectures and presentations undertaken during your course on constitutionalism and human rights should form the bedrock of your humane treatment of inmates despite their rights being withdrawn. I urge you to always adhere to the policies and procedures as directed by the newly enacted Prisons and Correctional Service Act which should be your guiding legal instrument,” he said.
President Mnangagwa reminded correctional service officers to handle inmates with a clear understanding of the requisite personal rehabilitation programmes.
He added, “In an independent Zimbabwe, inmates are no longer treated as outcasts. Emphasis is now on offender rehabilitation as well as entrepreneurial training and skills development, your main objective as correctional officers is to correct and empower inmates so that when released from correctional facilities they will be able to reintegrate into society as productive and law-abiding citizens.”
The President commended the partnership between the ZPCS Staff College and Chinhoyi University of Technology, saying it will help provide leadership and management skills.
“The partnership between the correctional services and Chinhoyi University of Technology, which is set to see the introduction of a Bachelor of Science Honour degree in correctional
service management is applauded. This will go a long way in raising the caliber and skills base of our correctional officers,” said the President.
The need for the ZPCS to fully utilise its farms for food production also took centre stage.
Source Zbcnews
