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Lumbidzani Dima, Chronicle Reporter

THE Mozambique National Penitentiary Service will soon replicate Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) rehabilitation system which has greatly impressed the neighbouring country’s Director General.

 

Mozambique Director General of the National Penitentiary Service Brigadier António Augusto Maurice, spoke of how he was impressed after touring ZPCS facilities at Ntabazinduna training school with his counterpart ZPCS Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu on Monday.

The tour was the sixth since he came to the country.

The Ntabazinduna visit came after he had toured Harare Central, Marondera, Zvishavane, Hwange and other ZPCS facilities.

Brigadier Maurice said the purpose of his visit to the country is to exchange experiences with Zimbabwe, share with ZPCS how the Mozambique system operates while learning from it.

“We are here for the exchange of experience and ideas as well.

We want to learn how Zimbabwe operates in its prisons while teaching them how we operate, for the betterment of our region,” said the Mozambique director general.

He said he was very impressed by the ZPCS in most aspects especially the rehabilitation of inmates, adding that it is something that Zimbabwe should be proud of as the local correctional service has set an example for him and other nations.

“I’m very impressed by the perspective that the ZPCS has today and in the future, it’s a quality that Zimbabwe must be proud of because it’s actually an example for the region and the world in general.

This is a great move because a rehabilitated man can be used in society, it’s not only that he is trained to work when he is in the prison but must be prepared for the future when he returns to society,” said Brigadier Maurice.

He said Mozambique will replicate the highly commendable ZPCS inmates’ rehabilitation and security systems as soon as possible.

“We witnessed the work that has been done here ultimately, the rehabilitation of the inmates, which are the works that the prisoners do in order to have knowledge and sustain themselves when they go outside of the prisons shall greatly improve our society.

We have seen where they consolidate the prison knowledge and production activity including agriculture and livestock which when I start to work, I will put to practice in order to rehabilitate the inmates in our country.

“We also liked the system of ZPCS security guards.

It is very good, it’s a good example that other prisons can implement and Mozambique shall do so,” he said.

ZPCS has a number of projects that include farming, brick moulding, carpentry, tailoring, motor mechanics and upholstery. Commissioner-General Chihobvu said there is a vocational training centre in Harare where inmates and prison guards are trained and plans are underway to establish another one in Bulawayo.

He said visits by neighbouring countries are helping them improve where they lack, while sharing their knowledge and skills to them.

“We visited a number of prisons and farms, and from the visit we have also learnt a lot on how they do their rehabilitation as they learn a lot from us as well.

These exchanges are very important as we can improve where we will be lacking, if we have a shortfall in our rehabilitation activity, we can learn from what the neighbouring countries are doing so that we can close the gap,” said Commissioner-General Chihobvu. A Botswana delegation was also in the country recently on a similar mission.

Commissioner of the Botswana Prison Service (BPS) Dinah Marathe was highly impressed by several income generating projects being undertaken at the country’s correctional and rehabilitation facilities and vowed that they would replicate them back home.

Comm-Gen Chihobvu said they will continue to carry out such visits which are helpful as they want the best for the Sadc region.

“We might get a visit from another country soon, if we invite them, they will come because I’m sure that all the countries in Southern Africa would love to see our open prisons,” he said.