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Fungai Lupande Herald Reporter
Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Advocate Martin Dinha has implored the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) to allow inmates time to use the Bindura Community Information Centre that was officially opened by President Mugabe last month. Speaking at the commemoration of Africa Prisons Day in Bindura on Saturday, Adv Dinha said inmates were free to use the ICT libraries like any other person.

“Inmates doing professional and academic courses need to use these ICTs for research and mixing with different scholars. With these developments of ICT centres, it is pleasing to note that inmates are afforded equal opportunities to attain life survival skills to sustain themselves upon release from prison. Subsequently, one can become employable or, better still, becomes a potential entrepreneur, making a significant contribution on the country’s socio-economic growth,” he said.

Adv Dinha said Bindura Prison Farm, which benefited from Command Agriculture, did well in the 2016/ 2017 agricultural season. While pledging to assist the farm in the coming season, he challenged the prison officers to ensure they exceeded last season’s yields. Adv Dinha encouraged ZPCS to hold family weeks for inmates at least twice a year to help maintain family ties.

“Building up to this year’s commemoration, ZPCS had extended this open door policy by having a family week with relatives. I challenge ZPCS to do family weeks twice a year to strengthen relationships between inmates and those they left behind. Giving his welcome remarks, ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General Alvord Dube said the family week was this year’s unique way of celebrating this year’s Africa Prisons Day under the theme, “Building a Correctional System in Africa, A Strategic Objective,” he said.

“We thank our valued stakeholders, who continue to support us through various interventions and projects. Rehabilitation is quite critical when it comes to inmate’s successful reintegration back into the community upon release from prison,” said Dep Comm-Gen Dube.

Nyaradzo Funeral Services handed over an electrical borehole they drilled for Bindura Prison Farm and Dynamos Supporters Association donated several foodstuffs and items to the inmates.