Harare, (New Ziana) – Overcrowding in Zimbabwe’s prisons remains a major challenge, with some correctional facilities experiencing high congestion levels, a joint Parliamentary committee has revealed.
The Joint Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights conducted an oversight visit to prisons across the country and found that most facilities are operating beyond their intended capacity.
In its report on the state of the prison system, the joint committee noted that congestion levels range between 200 and 300 percent. The Committee observed that overcrowding remains one of the most critical and persistent challenges affecting the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS).
“Most prison facilities are operating well beyond their designed holding capacities, with some institutions experiencing severe congestion levels of over 200–300 percent. Notably, Gwanda Prison was holding 210 inmates against a capacity of only 60, representing 350 percent overcrowding, while Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison had 2,689 inmates crammed into facilities designed for 1,114, and Binga Prison had 78 inmates with a holding capacity of 45,” said the committee.
The report also highlighted that Harare Remand Prison was overcrowded by over 50 percent, with 1,361 inmates held in a facility meant for 900. Bindura Prison had 443 inmates against a capacity of 393, while Marondera Prison was holding 730 inmates in a facility designed for only 358.
The joint committee said the overcrowding has led to serious human rights and public health concerns, including inmates sleeping in cramped, poorly ventilated, and leaking cells; overburdened sanitation systems; insufficient bedding; increased risk of disease transmission; and limited access to healthcare.
“While open prisons like Conemara and Marondera Female Open Prison offer slightly better conditions due to lower populations and progressive models, these facilities represent exceptions rather than the norm,” said the lawmakers.
The joint committee also noted that inmates across most prisons were experiencing severe shortages of clothing and bedding, which compromises both dignity and health, especially during the winter months. “At some prisons visited, the Committee found inmates wearing torn or worn-out clothes, with some relying on donations from relatives,” it said.
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