Parliament flags severe crisis in Zimbabwe's prisons

Parliament has raised alarm over Zimbabwe's correctional facilities, citing overcrowding, crumbling infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and shortages of basic necessities, according to a report jointly prepared by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights.

The report, based on visits to over 15 prisons nationwide, found that many facilities are operating far beyond their intended capacities, with some exceeding 300% occupancy. Inmates are reportedly forced to sleep on floors in poorly ventilated cells, relying on the unhygienic bucket system as sanitation facilities fail due to lack of running water.

Colonial-era structures, including Marondera Prison and Gwanda Prison, both established in 1910, were described as functionally obsolete. Gwanda Prison, for example, holds 210 inmates against a 60-person capacity, with seven cases of tuberculosis and other skin conditions reported. Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, designed for 1 114 inmates, currently accommodates 2 689 inmates.

"Chikurubi faced challenges with water, electricity, chronic drug shortages, and inadequate cooking facilities. Prison staff are stretched thin, and High Court visits have been absent for years," the report noted.

Bindura Prison's clinic was found lacking basic amenities such as toilets and refrigerators for temperature-sensitive medications, while many inmates across the country reportedly lack uniforms, blankets, mattresses, and toiletries. Hwahwa Prison had reportedly gone over a year without receiving sanitary provisions.

The report also highlighted staffing shortages and poor accommodation for prison officers, with many forced to share homes or rent privately. Harare Remand Prison, with 1 361 inmates against a capacity of 900, operates with 414 officers covering both prison duties and four courts, placing enormous pressure on personnel.

"Most prison facilities are operating well beyond their designed capacities, with congestion levels of over 200–300% in some institutions," the committee said.

While open prisons such as Connemara and Marondera Female Open Prison offer slightly better conditions, the report stressed these are exceptions rather than the norm.

Lawmakers called for urgent interventions to upgrade infrastructure, expand capacity, provide essential healthcare, and improve staffing and living conditions to bring Zimbabwe's correctional facilities up to standard.

The report paints a stark picture of a chronically overstretched and under-resourced prison system, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reform.