Mnangagwa at ZPCS pass-out parade

President Mnangagwa is expected to officiate at the 150th recruit correctional officers' pass-out parade for the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) at Ntabazinduna Prison Training School today.

Today's pass-out parade will see 771 officers comprising 560 men and 211 women, graduating after six months of training. The parade is the second where President Mnangagwa officiates under the Second Republic.

The last pass-out parade was held on June 26 last year during which President declared that the Second Republic has zero tolerance to crime, as this is one of the strategies that will help the country attain a more prosperous and empowered society.

ZPCS spokesperson Superintendent Meya Khanyezi yesterday confirmed that President Mnangagwa will be the guest of honour at today's event.

"Tomorrow (today) we are having our pass-out parade at the Ntabazinduna Prison Training School where we are having 771 officers graduating after completing course number 150 over a period of six months. President Mnangagwa will officiate at the ceremony as the guest of honour," she said.

Supt Khanyezi said among those graduating, 20 are from the San community in Tsholotsho.

"In line with Government's philosophy that no one and no place should be left behind in terms of development, we have about 20 members from the San community who are also part of the 771 that is graduating at Ntabazinduna," she said.

Last year, ZPCS started implementing Cabinet's decision to draft members of the San community into the country's security services as part of their integration into the broader society. Government resolved that the country's security services should set up quotas system for the San community.

Speaking at last year's pass-out parade, President Mnangagwa implored the ZPCS officers to be an ideologically rooted people that are alive to the country's foundational past, so as to chart a strong and prosperous course for the future.

The President also lauded the ZPCS gender policy, which recently saw the promotion of two women officers to the rank of Deputy Commissioner-General, saying this was reflective of his administration's commitment to gender parity, equity and equality across the public sector.

The President also urged the ZPCS to enhance the empowerment and productivity prospects of rehabilitated offenders as they return to society.

The ongoing housing and construction boom, industrialisation thrust and import substitution drive provides the ZPCS with scope for new capacity building programmes and rehabilitation strategies.

Government is in the process of recapacitating the ZPCS and addressing some of the challenges faced by the organisation in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Some of the key result areas under the five-year strategic plan (2021-2025) include incarceration and improved welfare of inmates, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, production through income-generating projects and institutional development, which involves human capital management and policy interventions.