Zimbabwe moves to modernise prisons

The Government of Zimbabwe is stepping up efforts to modernise the country's prison system through the construction of smart prisons and the adoption of technology-driven reforms, a senior government official has revealed.

Speaking in a recent interview, the Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, said the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) is pursuing a comprehensive long-term transformation agenda to align prison conditions with international human rights standards.

"This is not an event, it is a process, and it will take longer," Nyemba said. "While we are working on modernisation, we also still have to look at what we can do now with the resources that we have. But what I can tell you is that there are efforts. We have got plans to build smart prisons, like those in Uruguay and Rwanda. Already we have those plans in place."

She explained that the concept of smart prisons extends beyond improved infrastructure and focuses on integrating modern technology to enhance inmate welfare and justice delivery.

"When we talk of smart prisons, we are talking of up-to-date prisons that are acceptable even by international human rights organisations, so that prisoners live in humane conditions. And when we also say smart, we are talking of a lot around technology," Nyemba said.

Part of this digital shift includes the rollout of electronic court systems that allow inmates to attend remand hearings virtually, a move that reduces the need for physical transfers to courtrooms and helps ease logistical burdens on the justice system.

"They do not have to go to court for their usual remands, they just have to do it virtually," she said. "Most of the prison services are now doing it. It is taking time, it is a bit slow."

Improving living conditions for inmates remains a priority. Nyemba said the government has upgraded sanitary facilities in correctional centres to ensure prisoners are treated with dignity.

"The sanitary facilities, they are now proper, to make sure that the dignity of a person is preserved," she said. "Even in the discomfort of a cell, someone must be able to go to the bathroom, that he has got some enclosure, and that he has got a toilet facility, and not just a hall as before, with flushing systems inside, not outside as it was before."

While modernisation efforts are ongoing, Nyemba acknowledged the persistent challenge of prison overcrowding. She attributed part of the congestion to growing awareness among citizens about their legal rights and justice procedures.

"Our prisons, wherever they are, will remain congested because people will be reporting criminal matters due to increased awareness," she said.

To tackle overcrowding, the government has introduced several measures, including an annual amnesty programme targeting low-risk and vulnerable inmates, such as the elderly or those with minor offences nearing the end of their sentences.

"Not necessarily that amnesty is given to anybody. Those that are almost close to the end of their term, those that have got lesser offences, the very old, those that are not well — those are cases that are looked into," she explained. "I think last year we had a good number of people who we released."

She also disclosed that a parole system is set to be operational soon, allowing selected inmates to serve the remainder of their sentences under supervised release in the community.

"The parole board is going to be put in place and will be responsible for those that go out on parole," she said. "They will still be serving their term, but from home."

Nyemba stressed that the objective of building more modern correctional facilities is not to encourage arrests but to provide dignified conditions for those already incarcerated.

"People must live freely. They must be in there freely. They must also sleep on a bed. They must also have good food. The only difference will be that they will be serving a part of their life in prison without their family," she said.

On concerns about prolonged pretrial detentions and case delays, Nyemba assured that judicial officers are trained to factor in time spent in custody when sentencing. However, she admitted that logistical and administrative hurdles — including transport challenges and judicial transfers — can cause some delays.

"Those cases are supposed to be looked at separately. And I do not think there are many of those," she said.

Zimbabwe's drive to modernise its correctional system comes amid continued calls from global human rights bodies for improved prison conditions across Africa. The government hopes these reforms will not only improve justice outcomes but also contribute to national efforts toward human rights, rehabilitation, and dignity in detention.