By: Peacewell Makhurane, Junior Programme Officer
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute-Harare Office in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) conducted an internal stakeholder workshop to discuss the development of Parole Regulations for ZPCS. The workshop was held from 11-13 March 2025 at Harare Central Prison Officer’s Mess. The initiative to develop parole regulations comes after the enactment of the new Prisons and Correctional Service Act [chapter 7:23] which requires updating and development of prison regulations to manage the operation of correctional facilities, the conduct of prison staff and management of inmates. ZPCS has prioritised the development of a Parole system to provide an early release mechanism for reintegration of inmates and decongestion of prison facilities.
The workshop focused on the provisions of parole in the new Prisons and Correctional Service Act, highlighting areas for possible amendments and further clarification. It also identified areas that require the development of regulations. Some of the key areas identified to be included in the regulations include the composition and functions of the state parole board, training for the parole secretariat, risk assessments for parole, conditions for release on parole, and the monitoring and supervision of parolees.
The workshop was also attended by representatives from the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) and Zambian Correctional Service (ZCS) who shared practical experiences regarding their implementation of parole in their countries. Josh Ounsted, RWI Head of Access to Justice also attended the workshop and facilitated other sessions including on international human rights standards regarding parole.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner-General, MCN Chihobvu expressed his gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions. He stressed that the workshop provided an essential platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices, helping to shape a structured, transparent, and effective parole system in Zimbabwe.
Following the workshop, the Parole Committee will move forward with developing the first draft of the parole regulations. The draft will be reviewed and discussed in a follow-up external stakeholders workshop to be conducted later in the year, involving relevant government ministries, the judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority, the police, and other key stakeholders. After this review process, the regulations will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration before being presented to Cabinet for final approval.
The Parole Regulations Stakeholders workshop was supported under the RWI Zimbabwe Human Rights Capacity Development Programme 2024-2026, with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe.
