ED to grant prisoners amnesty

Hundreds of condemned prisoners will receive presidential pardons from President Emmerson Mnangagwa in an effort to relieve prison overcrowding in the country.

Information Minister Jenfan Muswere stated yesterday at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare that the global amnesty would not apply to any inmates who had previously been released on a pardon of a similar nature.

“Cabinet advises that President … Mnangagwa will, in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, exercise his power of mercy to grant pardon to any person concerned in or convicted of an offence against the law. The Presidential Clemency aligns with the mandate of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) on the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders back into society. Inmates who have demonstrated good behaviour and readiness to be reintegrated will benefit through the 2026 General Amnesty before the Parole system comes into effect,” Muswere said.

The minister emphasised that the clemency would improve prison conditions by creating a healthier and more secure environment for those remaining.

“All convicted female prisoners, juveniles, prisoners serving an effective period of 14 months and below, inmates certified as terminally ill, prisoners in open prisons, all prisoners aged 60 years and above, prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment provided they have served at least 20 years, and prisoners with disabilities will benefit. There will also be an additional one-quarter remission of the effective term for prisoners sentenced to more than 48 months,” Muswere added.

However, the General Amnesty carries strict exclusions for repeat beneficiaries and serious offenders.

“Excluded are any person sentenced by a court-martial, any person with a record of escaping from lawful custody, and any inmates convicted of specified offences. These include murder, treason, rape or sexual offences, carjacking, robbery, armed robbery, public violence, human trafficking, unlawful possession of firearms, and contraventions of the Electricity Act, the Postal and Telecommunications Act, and the Public Order and Security Act,” Muswere concluded.

The country’s prison system currently holds approximately 23 000 inmates, significantly exceeding its official capacity of 17 000.

This 35 percent overcrowding rate strains resources and healthcare. Prior amnesties, such as the 2023 pardon of 4 000 prisoners, provided only temporary relief as the population consistently surges back, necessitating regular clemency to maintain order.