Chikurubi Maximum Prison sanitation crisis laid bare

The Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC) has raised concerns over conditions at the country's correctional facilities, highlighting persistent overcrowding, poor sanitation and inadequate drainage at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

The concerns are contained in the commission's 2025 Annual Report following a high-level visit to the Harare prison, which ZICC described as an important exercise in constitutional oversight that gave inmates an opportunity to directly raise concerns with an independent civilian oversight body.

The visit provided investigators with a first-hand assessment of conditions inside the correctional facility and highlighted what the commission described as continuing systemic challenges within the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS).

Among the problems identified were poor sanitation, overcrowding and deficiencies in drainage infrastructure.

The findings underscore the gap between conditions in some correctional facilities and Zimbabwe's constitutional obligations relating to the humane treatment and protection of prisoners.

However, the commission also noted improvements in some areas since 2023.

ZICC reported positive changes in food quality, access to recreational activities and the availability of mobile medical facilities, suggesting that some aspects of prisoner welfare had improved.

The commission said its engagement with the ZPCS also represented an important development in relations between civilian oversight institutions and the security sector.

A high-level engagement workshop involving senior security officials was described as a significant step towards strengthening mutual accountability, cooperation and joint training between oversight bodies and security institutions.

Despite these developments, ZICC warned that the ZPCS continues to face severe resource constraints.

The commission itself is operating with only 21.7 percent of its approved staff complement, limiting its capacity to carry out its constitutional oversight responsibilities effectively.

Following the Chikurubi inspection, ZICC said it would engage relevant authorities to follow up on the issues raised by inmates and investigators.

The commission said such follow-up was necessary to ensure that complaints raised by prisoners translate into concrete remedial measures rather than remaining findings contained in official reports.

Zimbabwe's correctional system has long struggled with overcrowding and inadequate resources. Successive governments have resorted to presidential pardons and early releases to reduce pressure on prison facilities.

The challenges have also historically extended to food shortages and inadequate healthcare, with conditions in the country's prisons coming under intense scrutiny over the years.

The latest ZICC findings therefore place renewed focus on the need for sustained investment in correctional infrastructure, prisoner welfare and independent oversight.

The commission's intervention also signals a gradual shift towards greater civilian scrutiny of institutions that have traditionally operated with limited external oversight, reinforcing the constitutional principle that prisoners do not lose their fundamental rights simply because they are incarcerated.