Zambian prisons are 200% overcrowded

Latest statistics show that Zambia has a total population of 18, 363 prisoners representing a 200 percent overcrowding in all the country’s prisons.

And the country has a total of 65 circumstantial children in prisons across the country.

This came to light today when first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda and his family donated assorted items to circumstantial children and their mothers at Lusaka Central Prisons this afternoon.

Speaking during the donation, Dr. Kaunda encouraged prisoners that they still have the chance and capacity to serve the nation in anyway.

Dr. Kaunda says prisoners ought to know that they have not lost anything by being in prison but that when they come out they have a chance of contributing the development of the nation.

He has furthermore encouraged inmates that he was once in that same prison and when he came out he served the nation to the best of his ability.

The first Republican President has since encouraged the inmates to behave well when they come out and dedicate their lives to God and serve Him alone.

Speaking earlier, Zambia Prisons Service Commissioner Percy Chato says there is no special funding aimed at supporting these circumstantial children in prisons and so the service relies on help from stakeholders.

Mr. Chato says the service has an obligation when such infant child of a woman prisoner is received into the prison with its mother to supply clothing and necessities at the public expense.

And Lusaka Division Region Commander Christopher Kajimbala says Lusaka province has a total of 2, 440 prisoners with six circumstantial children in prisons within Lusaka Province.