Church builds K 5 million cell at Mzuzu Prison, reduces overpopulation
Church on the Wings Ministry in Mzuzu has built a cell worth over K 5 million at Mzuzu Prison as a way of easing congestion among the inmates at the prison.
Prison Public Relations Officer, McBerth Wasambo expressed gratitude for the gesture saying the cell would ease congestion problem that has rocked most prisons in the country including Mzuzu.
He said the biggest challenge Mzuzu Prison faces is congestion amongst the inmates, as the number of prisoners they receive are far more than the space that the prison offers.
“The increased crime rate has contributed to overcrowding in prisons as in most cases; we are at a fix to find space to accommodate the incoming prisoners. This usually contributes to congestion in our prisons,” Wasambo said.
He singled out the frequent swarming in of illegal immigrants as a major contributor to overcrowding at Mzuzu Prison.
The PRO said the aliens usually come in large numbers which overstretches the prison’s budget to cater for their space and food.
Pastor Pearson Mkisi of the Church on the Wings Ministry in Mzuzu expressed his church’s commitment in reaching out to vulnerable people such as prisoners.
“Our church has a team which frequently visits the prison to share the Word of God with the inmates. The team, in one of the visits, noted that the prison had problem with space, hence the decision to construct the cell block,” he said.
Mkisi disclosed that his church is planning to construct another cell at the prison.
In 2013, Centre for Legal Assistance, with funds from Norwegian Embassy, built a cell which accommodates 140 inmates.
A few years later, the former Vice President, Khumbo Kachali built another cell to accommodate 300 inmates.
Mzuzu Prison has 677 prisoners.
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