Mnangagwa orders sweeping general amnesty

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved a sweeping general amnesty for 2026 that is expected to see thousands of inmates released or have their sentences reduced, as Government moves to ease severe overcrowding in the country's prisons.

The amnesty, to be exercised under the President's constitutional powers of mercy, applies to broad categories of prisoners, including all convicted female inmates, juveniles, prisoners aged 60 and above, inmates living with disabilities and those certified as terminally ill.

Also eligible are prisoners serving effective sentences of 48 months or less, inmates housed at open prisons and life-sentenced prisoners who have served at least 20 years.

Prisoners serving sentences exceeding 48 months will benefit from an additional remission of one quarter of their effective term of imprisonment.

However, the amnesty excludes inmates previously released under similar measures, those sentenced by court martial and prisoners with a record of escaping from lawful custody.

Offenders convicted of specified serious crimes are also excluded. These include murder, treason, rape and other sexual offences, carjacking, robbery and armed robbery, public violence, human trafficking, unlawful possession of firearms, as well as offences under the Electricity Act, Postal and Telecommunications Act, public order and security laws, railway legislation and copper-related crimes.

The announcement follows mounting concern over congestion in correctional facilities. As of early January, Zimbabwe's prison population stood at 27 683 inmates against an official holding capacity of 17 800, leaving facilities overcrowded by 9 883 prisoners.

Of those behind bars, 5 970 are unconvicted accused persons awaiting trial.

The overcrowding crisis prompted Prosecutor General Loice Matanda-Moyo to issue a directive to prosecutors nationwide urging greater use of bail, fines and community service in place of custodial sentences.

"This situation is undesirable," Matanda-Moyo said in an internal memorandum dated January 7, 2026. "Only in deserving cases should prosecutors advocate for custodial sentences."

She cautioned against routinely opposing bail applications, emphasising that pre-trial incarceration should be the exception rather than the norm.

"Our law scoffs at pre-trial incarceration. An accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty," she said.

Matanda-Moyo further directed prosecutors to review bail conditions in cases where accused persons remain in custody solely due to inability to afford monetary bail, and to ensure that minor offenders are not unnecessarily detained.

Authorities have not yet disclosed how many inmates are expected to benefit from the 2026 amnesty, which was announced following a Cabinet meeting in Harare on Tuesday.