Zimbabwe has begun releasing about 3 000 prisoners under a presidential amnesty. This is meant to reduce the threat of Covid-19 at its overcrowded prisons.

The first batch of about 400 prisoners was released from jails across the country over the weekend.

Zimbabwe’s prisons have a capacity of 17, 000 prisoners but held about 22,000 convicts before the amnesty that was declared by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Quite a number of prisons have recorded many Covid-19 cases in the past year. This has been blamed on overcrowding.

Alvord Gapare, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officer commanding Harare, said prisons in the capital had recorded 178 Covid-19 infections and one death.

“It has been a tough few months for me because we were always at risk of getting Covid-19 due to overcrowding and poor hygiene in the prison cells,” said Mr Solomon Chuma as he emerged from one of the prisons in Harare.

“Our cell had 30 prisoners and there was hardly any physical distancing. We just left everything to God and I am relieved that I am coming out of this place alive, the government must consider pardoning more prisoners because the overcrowding is a real time bomb,” he added.

Beneficiaries of the amnesty included prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes.

All female prisoners jailed for no-violent crimes and those who have served a third of their sentences will be released as well as people living with disabilities that were jailed for non-violent crimes.

President Mnangagwa also commuted death sentences to life sentences for many prisoners on death row.

Those serving prison sentences for treason, murder, human trafficking, and sexual offences will not be covered by the amnesty.

As of April 18, Zimbabwe had recorded 37 751 Covid-19 cases with 35 019 recoveries and 1 553 deaths.