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John Manzongo At the Workplace
President Mugabe this week pardoned more than 2 000 prisoners and they have since rejoined the nation and the world as a potential workforce who have new skills which they acquired from prison during their time of incarceration.
Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner Agrey Machingauta, while addressing journalists on Sunday, urged the nation to welcome the former convicts saying their well-being depends on the society.

One thing that quickly comes to mind is these people also deserve jobs whether in the formal or informal sectors of the Zimbabwean economy.

The majority of them would be truly reformed and deserve a second chance in life but one hurdle lies ahead of them and it is to be wondered how as a nation we must solve this puzzle.

Whenever one is looking for employment there are always a set of questions one has to answer whether verbally or in writing and one of those questions is whether the applicant has a criminal record or not.

Those found on the wrong end of the stick are automatically disqualified in most instances.

How then as a nation are we expecting these people who are our friends and relatives to find jobs when they are already handicapped because of dark cloud hanging over their heads?

Is it not high time as a nation we decide to be unique from the rest of the world and remove that statement or question from all job interviews?

Zimbabweans at large recently crafted a new, home-grown Constitution where people expressed their views and opinions and it was confirmed through a referendum which overwhelmingly endorsed it as the supreme law of the land.

One of the fundamental things in the new Constitution is through the new Constitution is the provision for the transition from the Zimbabwe Prison Service to Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services.

The evolution was hailed by pundits as timely and positive for its emphasis on the correctional aspect of the system which had long been reprimanded for being punitive than rehabilitative.

The prison system was outdated moulding hardcore criminals rather than reformed members of society.

Chapter 11 Section 227(1) of the Constitution stipulates the establishment of the Prisons and Correctional Services.

According to Section 227(1) (a), “the Prisons and Correctional Services will be responsible for the protection of the society from criminals through incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted persons and others who are lawfully required to be detained”.

This is in line with global best practices.

We cannot, of course, go back to the people to vote on this aspect but since we have legislators or Members of Parliament who represent the interests of the people, it is my wish that they consider debating this subject during their sitting and come up with possible solutions on how best as a nation we can reintegrate these people into society.

Some might be thinking that what is so special about prisoners that they deserve attention but it would be useful to realise that as long as we are alive, we are all potential prisoners or potential convicts for only God knows what he holds for each individual.

Let us all remember that some people who went to prison never thought they will be there or never planned to be there but it just happened and some might have been wrongly implicated.

Surely, when that happens to us we will need the world to accept us, give us a second chance to prove that we never meant any harm.

The overarching concern of this piece is just where these people who just got a new lease of life through Presidential amnesty will find jobs?

Some of those coming from prison are highly qualified in different fields more than some who are at work today.

Prisons and correctional services officers did their job by keeping and educating these members of society during the time they were incarcerated, their effort will go in vain if as a nation we cannot complement them.

The majority are going to be absorbed into the informal sector where they will be their own bosses but again they need money to kick start their projects.

The question then becomes, will banks or Government be willing to grant them loans?

Society needs ex-convicts and the ex-convicts need society for our nation to develop.

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