24 babies at Chikurubi prison complex

Twenty-four babies are currently living at Chikurubi Female Prison, the highest number recorded since the institution was built in 1970. The infants are residing inside the prison complex alongside their mothers, a situation that has drawn regional attention to conditions within the facility.

Chief Correctional Officer Rumbidzayi Mugomba revealed that there are also eight pregnant women among the inmates. Chikurubi Female Prison now accommodates 424 prisoners despite having a holding capacity of only 315, placing the institution 109 inmates above its limit. Of the current population, 100 inmates are on remand while 324 have been convicted. Fourteen of the prisoners are illegal immigrants.

The situation was highlighted during a visit by senior prison officials from around the region. Eswatini Commissioner-General Phindile Dhlamini expressed concern over the number of young children living behind bars, saying the parole system could help reduce the need for babies to remain incarcerated with their mothers. She noted that most prisons in the region usually house around 15 infants.

Dhlamini commended Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu for projects that cater to incarcerated mothers and their children, including the female open prison model and the establishment of a pre-school for infants. She described the integration of children living inside the prison with those from outside — facilitated through supervised interaction — as progressive and beneficial for early development.

She also praised the assignment of a male officer to help infants adjust to male figures, noting that children born in prison can sometimes develop fear or discomfort towards men. Such interventions, she said, could help ease reintegration when the mothers and their children eventually return to society.

Officer Commanding Harare Metropolitan Province, Commissioner Charity Gezi, said the country's commitment to parole represents a shift towards rehabilitation and reintegration rather than purely punitive incarceration. She highlighted recent developments in Zimbabwe's justice system, including the abolition of the death penalty and the conversion of the former execution chamber at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison into a museum, which she described as symbolic of the nation's evolving correctional philosophy.

She also announced the opening of a state-of-the-art recording studio at the prison, established in partnership with Sungano Recording Studio, allowing inmates to develop artistic skills, share personal stories and prepare for life after release.

The visit underscored both progress in rehabilitation programmes and ongoing challenges posed by overcrowding and the growing number of infants behind bars.