Prisoners have rights too


Credit: Engin Akyurt - Unsplash


I don’t know about you, but I really like groundnuts, particularly roasted ones. They make good late night dessert/snack together with a hot cup of coffee. Never before in my life had I imagined anyone eating them as relish for sadza… until I read Bulawayo24NEWS on the 1st of April 2012. 

I read with shock and disbelief about prisoners surviving on sadza with groundnuts as relish Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. Naturally, since it was April Fool’s Day, I tried to convince myself that this was some sort of a sick joke. But I quickly remembered an episode of Special Assignment which uncovered similar appalling conditions at Khami Prison. A quick browse through other news sites almost brought me to tears as I realised how terrible life is for other human beings!

Malnutrition in Zimbabwean prisons rife


This comes in the wake of a government ban on NGOs providing food for the prisoners. Yep, you heard right. BANNING FOOD. Like seriously??? BANNING people who want to help???

Governments do things for different reasons, sometimes for outrageous political or diplomatic reasons which are hard to understand, but I simple could not find one for this inhuman act, not one!!

I am not advocating for the prisoners to be treated like kings and queens, no. I believe serving time is punishment enough for the criminals. All I am saying is that prisoners are still human beings after all, and they have the right to a diet that meets the minimum nutritional needs of a human body.

I understand the government might not have the funds to suffice this, but why would they ostracize a helping hand???
Why???


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