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Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
Prisoners at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison yesterday welcomed the week-long interaction programme where relatives, churches and other stakeholders will be allowed to visit inmates in jails across the country saying the initiative allows them to spend more time with family and friends and an opportunity to mend broken relations.

The Family Week programme will run from August 13-19.

RMG Independent End Time Message church founder Robert Martin Gumbura and former Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke, who are both serving jail terms for rape, and other inmates indicated that they were looking forward to the family week when they met with the press.

ZPCS Officer Commanding Harare Province Senior Assistant Commissioner Nobert Chomurenga said the programme was meant to improve the rehabilitation of offenders and facilitate their re-integration into society.

He said visits would be conducted between 8am and 4pm.

“From the 13th to the 19th of August 2018 Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service will hold its second Family Week programme. This event follows a largely successful event held last year in August, which saw prisons across the country affording offenders more time than usually prescribed to interact with visitors,” he said.

“As you might be aware, visits to prisons are usually regulated taking cognisance of the security situation that inmates pose. During the Family Week, however, regulations are somewhat relaxed to enable anyone to be visited in the spirit of promoting increased interaction between offenders and society. However, usual security measures shall be exercised.”

Assistant Commissioner Chomurenga said relatives and different stakeholders supporting inmates should take advantage of the programme to share food and other societal issues with them.