Zimpapers Logo

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
When Talent Mubvura (29) was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2014 for rape by a Bindura regional magistrate, his relatives, colleagues and even himself, concluded that his world had crumbled around him, never to rise again.

The conclusion was justified because Mubvura was doing his O level at that time.

Critically, he was an orphan and so did not have a lawyer to plead mitigation.

He was arrested while at Mahuwe Secondary school in Dande District, Mashonaland Central Province, on allegations of raping an under-age relative.

The prospect of a lengthy prison term, dampened any prospects that his educational career would ever be revived.

The youthful Mubvura, who was aged 23 in 2014 began serving jail time at Harare Central prison after he had two-and-a-half years of his effective eight-year term suspended on condition of good behaviour.

But against all odds, Mubvura began a journey to revive his educational career while in jail.

He now has 11 certificates for short courses — refrigerator repairs and bible study, among others.

Mubvura has gone a notch higher; he has since enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Development Studies with the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).

He was released a month ago, just in time to write his second semester examinations.

Mubvura’s story is a demonstration of how the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services has transformed the lives of many people who had thought that nothing positive could come from them after being jailed.

“When I was arrested and eventually imprisoned very few relatives came to see me. What haunted me was the prospects of missing out on my education and the thought that my colleagues whom I was with in Form Four, would progress with their education.

“As I entered prison, I had no academic qualification but I now have seven Ordinary Levels and Two Advanced Level subjects, and have since enrolled with ZOU for my first degree,” said Mubvura during the premiere of a documentary by the ZPCS in Harare on Thursday evening.

The documentary, titled “Freedom Beyond Walls”, seeks to promote the integration of ex-inmates and help them start businesses.

It was produced by the ZPCS after it partnered Team in Africa Trust, an organisation that brings together youth entrepreneurs and promotes business incubation, through organising business trainings and workshops for youths in business.

ZPCS Deputy Commissioner General Dr Alford Mashango Dube said the service realised education was integral for the reintegration of inmates when they leave prison.

“We are overjoyed by the transformation of lives among inmates. Our institution has graduated from a punitive to a rehabilitative system as evidence by the achievement (of Mubvura). Education is very cardinal in the process of rehabilitating inmates and Team in Africa has been recording and publicising what we have been doing behind the walls,” said Dr Dube.

“ZPCS is inclined to increase educational programmes for inmates to empower them with relevant skills and knowledge after serving their time.

“According to experts, education for inmates is key to successful re-entry into society. Education is a master key that breaks the chains of prison.”

He said the documentary featured one former inmate, Reuben Chigumira, who acquired nine diplomas including the Chartered Institute of Secretaries.

He was imprisoned in 1994.

Dr Dube said Chigumira was envied for attaining 11 Ordinary Levels and later 18 points at A’ Level while in prison.

He said there was need to fight stigma and stereotypes among ex-inmates.

Team in Africa founder, Mr Naison Chigumbu said they developed interest on the ZPCS’ operations after the addition of the term “Correctional” on the organisation’s name.

“We got interested on the correctional aspect and asked ourselves on why that term was included and it fitted well with our objective. We got interested in the education sector,” said Mr Chigumba.

“We started looking for people who had achieved academic excellence while in prison and we met Talent. We began to follow the story of Talent.

“We are following up as Team in Africa on everyone who has achieved academic excellence because we believe that education is key to successful reintegration. We went to ZOU and introduced ourselves and what we wanted.”

ZOU acting regional director for Harare Mr Clement Mabaso commended ZPCS for coming up with systems that allowed inmates to better themselves academically.

“ZOU has the mandate to deliver open and distance learning. We have been impressed by ZPCS because you have education support that you offer to inmates. We were allowed to visit prisons marketing ZOU programmes and what we observed was that there was a lot of interest to study by inmates. Their major challenge was that of finance.

“There is so much commitment to support inmates. It is not easy for someone to study while in prison. Your system ensures that it’s possible, starting with admission there are certain things that we want like, we need academic qualifications and when one is in prison he can not photocopy his certificates someone has to do that and your system allows that to happen.

“Even on assignments, we submit online and your system allows that,” said Mr Mabaso.

He said ZOU had a number of students in prison across the country.