Stakeholders have expressed worry that for almost 20 years now government has failed to finalise the review of the Prison Act of 1956 which subjects the country’s prisoners to inhumane conditions.

This was disclosed yesterday during the opening of a photo exhibition organised by the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) to showcase the importance of the Prison Bill towards prison reform.

Chreaa executive director Victor Mhango said attempts have been made twice in 2003 and 2013 to review the Act and table it before Parliament for consideration of approval but to no avail.

He said the existing Act is very outdated, having been enacted in 1956 and does not speak the same language with the country’s Constitution as well as international human rights instruments.

Mhango (C) explains the photo exhibition’s rationale to Chirwa (L) and Khwima

Said Mhango: “There are serious disparities between the Act and the constitution. For instance, it was enacted to reprimand the prisoners by giving them corporal punishment which is in conflict with the constitution.

“There have been attempts in 2003 to have the Act reviewed but it never materialised. Then in 2013 the Malawi Law Commission also attempted but its now 10 years we are still waiting and wondering what is happening.”

He has since urged authorities, especially parliamentarians to ensure the Bill is tabled in Parliament during the next sitting to ensure they debate and pass it into a law.

Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) regional coordinator for Southern Region Victor Khwima said it was high time the review process of the Act was finalised to align it with the dictates of the Constitution and applicable international law and principles on the administration, governance and management of prisons and prisoners.

On her part, Legal Aid Bureau chief legal aid advocate Sigele Chirwa observed once the Bill is passed into law, the country’s prisoners will live a dignified life like any other person.

She said it was everybody’s wish to see a Prison Act that puts rehabilitation of offenders at the centre.

There are currently around 16 000 inmates across the country’s 31 prison facilities which were constructed to accommodate around 5500 prisoners.

The post Prison Bill idleness angers stakeholders first appeared on The Nation Online.

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