The Head of the Zambia Corrections Service has clarified that the controversial proposal to start allowing inmates serving life sentences a two-week vacation to visit their families is yet to be signed into law.
Dr Chisela Chileshe told Journalists in Kabwe on Thursday that the proposal is contained in the Zambia Correctional Services Bill 2021 which is yet to be signed into law.
News that inmates serving life sentences will be granted two week vacations on good behavior has been met by uproar with many stakeholders saying the move will pose security risks to society.
But Dr Chileshe clarified that he did not state that President Edgar Lungu had signed into law the piece of legislation that will operationalize the provision that allows inmates to take vacations.
He said what is true however is that there are provisions in the Bill which are looking at improving in mate welfare and vacations are also provided for in the proposed law.
Dr Chileshe admitted that even the soon to be repealed Zambia Prisons Act has some progressive provisions which were over looked.
“Even in the old at Act, provisions are there to administer the welfare of inmates. We have been revising these laws and our Bill went into Parliament and went through all the stages but it is not yet to be signed into an Act,” Dr Chileshe said.
He added, “in the new way of doing things, we are talking about good governance and good practices in the general administration of inmate’s welfare. There are Articles that offer provisions for licenses to be released on condition that the inmates fulfill the conditions.”
“If they commit an offence, then their license is revoked. The Commissioner General has the right to give an inmate time to go and attend to personal, family matters and this time is determined and granted by the Office of the Commissioner General depending on circumstances. This is not strange, it’s enshrined in the Bill and the Act to be. This is good governance and its about managing inmate’s welfare. This has nothing to do with elections, these are the enshrined in our laws.
Dr Chileshe said the soon to be Corrections Act will improve the way to administer the inmates.
“We have put in place what we refer to as the Mandela rules. We won’t be stopped by circumstances. I didn’t say President Lungu has invoked provision to send inmates leave to go and enjoy themselves but I was merely stating the positive provisions contained in the Bill.”
Don’t u dare!
I would rather an inmate is allowed to visit family than have a upnd diasporan come to Zambia. At least these inmates have loyalty to the country and don’t hate on their country unlike the evil upnd fagg0ts
IF THIS HAPPENS PF WILL FACE A MASSIVE REPRICATION
THIS IS THE PRESIDENT AGAIN !! SHOCKING TO EVEN CONTEPLATE SUCH
IS THEY FORMED THE PRISONER DEMOCRATIC PARTY
EVEN THEY WILL BEAT THE PF BY A MILE
ONLY IN ZAMBIA WILL THIS HAPPEN. WHY TODAY AND WHY NOT YESTERDAY OR TOMORROW? YOU ONLY RELEASE INMATES DURING TIME OF FIEACE WARS AND NOT IN A PEACIFUL COUNTRY. KWENA ZAMBIA NOBUTEKO BU AWE WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, INSPITE OF ALL CALAMITIES WE ARE FACING YOU DO SUCH A THING? TALK OF TRANSPORTATION OF INMATES TO AND FROM THEIR HOMES?
There will be a conjugal explosion, whoever thought of this is a very big mambala
What happens when a life serving inmate commits a murder crime while on vacation? Who will be culpable?
For someone to be serving a life sentence, it means they are hardcore criminals who have committed heinous crimes and are deemed a danger to society. There are certain rights that you lose when you are a convicted criminal and one such right is being away from family.
This govt has really run out of ideas to govern… to think people can actually vote for these id!0ts is truly mindboggling! Unbelievable!
LUNGU IS RESPOSBLE ACCORDING TO ALL THE NEWS MEDIA SITES
It appears to me that these Kawalalas Masholi th!eves are preparing for their prison life, and they want it to be paradise whe they end up in there… it’s just a matter of time.
PLEASE SHELVE THE IDEA UNTIL THE YEAR 2050. IN OTHER WORDS FORGET IT.
I have not read the bill in its totality and not sure when it was debated! PF MPs were always busy with strange preoccupation. In a system where there are few street names and house numbers sounds like a stupid idea!
We do not know the effectiveness of the correctional ability of the Prisons Service or whoever does it. In addition, always a bad idea to change a lot of things on your way out!
There are two reasons for this bill. One to entice prisoners to vote for them so that they can put the proposal into law. Two is to give themselves two weeks to visit their families in the event that they end up in prison for the crimes that they have committed while in power.
Why changing? The news read that Edgar had signed the bill into law in yesterday’s papers. Now that you have received backlash from people amidst gruesome murders done by an inmate you have decided to change stance you mambalas.
Well this might be the only way out in future for some people I think and possibly in the spirit of reconciliation so it becomes just a formality to prosecute some.
Kekekeke Prisoners Democratic Party.
Those prisoners are getting that vacation to go terrorize UPND voters because the PF thugs are disorganized or nearly finished. Kalimanshi, Lusambo, Kaizer, Jay Jay and Kamba can’t drink in same bar anymore.
So need a new gang from prisoners.
Chileshe, Chilufya, Bwalya, Chanda, Mulenga…every single govt position you can think of and they have the nerve to call others tribal? Just sickening.
Even cartels of powerful prisoners serving life have sway in this corrupt entity called PF lead by lungu……..
Mathew Mohan Et-al control the prison populations from inside……
Yes Mathew Mohan and his friend Keith will be going out every Friday nite to party ..this is only possible in the kakistocracy govt of one Lazy Lungu…arguably the moment incompetent Zambian President to ever set foot in State House
I wonder where the Christians for Lungu foooooools are on this …really laughable!!
You can insult all you want. The fa.ct is we are in power and we make the decisions whether you like it or not
@Kaizar Zulu, are you forming already?
Kaizar Zulu, your Bank Account is full taxpayer’s money your belly is full of stolen money cash. You’re just a miserable pitch black MF.
This foolishness is way beyond imagination
Ba Kaizar Zulu what power do you have , you PF do not know what power is all you have is shameful ways to handle stuff. I wish i can challenge you to a boxing match to see what power you have
Lungu and his PF minions are just trying to make prison conditions better before he and his useless PF cohorts go in after 12 August. No one will give them that chance to enjoy themselves from our looted money.
Bowman Lusambo and Kennedy Kamba, watch it cos you’re the most hated poodles of Mr Lungu.
Controlla and nkana if you are man enough them come to Lusaka and meet me at a neutral public place where I will proceed to give you both a beating. I will literally whlp you and punch your ugly heads
Can’t the vacation wait until Christmas! That’s when we the families will appreciate them.
My brother Chisela! What has happened to you? Has Lungu bewitched you? I can’t imagine you doing all these mad things. Lungu has messed up everything including your promising career. Unfortunately it is soon coming to an end while Lungu will retire on a huge pension. Lungu has messed several hard working individuals. You should have opted to go into politics and add value in the legislature than accept being used like this.