Peace education programme transforms inmates 

Source: Peace education programme transforms inmates | The Herald

Dr Granisia Musango

Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has so far trained 600 inmates including those on death row and 150 officers on a peace education programme.

The programme offers psychological support, moral regeneration and violence reduction.

The programme aims to train both inmates and staff to enhance the rehabilitation thrust as the country moves towards the attainment of the vision of being the leading correctional service provider in the region and beyond by 2030.

In an interview, the ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General Dr Granisia Musango said the programme will help both officers and inmates to co-exist in harmony while empowering them to deal with their inner challenges.

She said most of the inmates on the death row were losing hope but the programme reformed their lives and helped them to live normal lives like other human beings.

The mental resilience initiative will focus on issues such as moral regeneration and violence reduction so that participants will understand the possibility of achieving peace through identifying and utilising inborn resources.

“Peace education becomes a wellness programme that offers psychosocial support not only to inmates, but to the community as a whole. The programme offers rehabilitation services to incarcerated members of the society with the aim of promoting behavioural reform and empowering inmates with life survival skills in preparation for their reintegration into the society.

“The issue of forgiveness and reconciliation are the most important aspects of this programme, if the inmates are released back into society they will not think of revenge,” said Deputy Comm-Gen Musango.

One of the inmates Robson Chipirangu, a teacher from Hwedza who was sentenced to 14 years in prison after committing rape said the programme has transformed him to such an extent that he forgives his complainant and plans to move forward with his life after incarceration.

“I have served 10 years now behind bars and to be frank, l carried bitterness for the past 10 years but after ZPCS introduced this programme, it helped me a lot. I do not carry any bitterness now. I was thinking of revenging on those people but now after getting lessons of peace l do not carry any grudges with them. l forgave them,” he said.

The peace education programme was introduced in countries in the SADC region in correctional facilities to pave the way for unity and peace.