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Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Correspondent
Inmates at Midlands’ biggest prison, Whawha, have expressed gratitude to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) for coming up with the family week where they get to interact with their friends and family.

When The Herald visited Whawha Prison inmates were in a jovial mood as they enjoyed longer periods with family members who have been accorded an opportunity to come and enjoy a full day interaction with their relatives during the week long programme.

The ZPCS’s regional public relations officer for Midlands and Masvingo Mr Jere Ruzive said the family week was meant to improve the rehabilitation of offenders while facilitating their re-integration into society through enhanced interaction with various stakeholders such as churches and other interested parties.

“This is a week where we relax security regulations in prisons to enable visitation and facilitation of increased interaction between inmates and the outside  world.”

Mr Ruzive urged the visitors bringing food for inmates at Whawha Prison to exercise extreme hygiene when handling food and fruits in the face of the typhoid outbreak in Mkoba.

“Many people are bringing food, fruits and goodies for the inmates and our officials inspect it.

“We recommend that inmates be given smaller portions to avoid diarrhoeal diseases.

“We also recognise that there is a typhoid outbreak in our vicinity hence we are urging visitors to exercise extreme hygiene especially when it comes to fruits.”

Mr Ruzive said the Whawha Young Offenders Prison, which currently has 212 inmates has received more visitors as religious organisations were seeking to convert and influence behavioural change amongst the young people.

The prison has 1 049   inmates.