12/04/2023
HUNGER STRIKES MZUZU PRISON
Mzuzu prison has run out of food, authorities have confirmed.
They say the correctional facility is facing one of the worst food crises due to overcrowding.
The situation has been amplified by a rise in the number of remandees, notably 300 illegal immigrants who have been at the correctional facility for close to 7 months, awaiting deportation.
Northern Region Prison Public Relations Officer Austin Masangwale said the officers are on the ground searching for maize which has ran out.
The situation worsened on Monday, as inmates were fed cassava with beans.
The facility was holding 1,100 inmates against its holding capacity of 800 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, prison authorities say there is a high rate of crime in the country which is forcing inmate population to increase, triggering food shortages in the correctional facilities.
They say food supplies are low in most prisons because of the ever increasing number of inmates.
According to an annual police report, a slight drop of three percent occurred last year when 39,335 criminal cases were recorded compared to 40,627 that were registered in 2021.
Last year, the Malawi Prisons Service (MPS) acknowledged a shortage of food in the country’s reformatories, which they blamed on inconsistent deliveries by contracted suppliers.
Meanwhile, MPS spokesperson Chimwemwe Shaba has indicated that the situation is steadily improving, as the authorities continue to find long-term solutions to address the issue.
