Zimbabwe Releases Over 4,000 Prisoners Under A General Amnesty 

Source: Zimbabwe Releases Over 4,000 Prisoners Under A General Amnesty ⋆ Pindula News

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) has begun releasing thousands of prisoners under General Notice 99 of 2026, cited as Clemency Order Number 1 of 2026, which was gazetted on 20 February 2026.

The order grants a general amnesty to specific categories of convicted inmates, as authorised by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

A total of 4,305 prisoners, including 223 women and 4,082 men, are set to be released under the Clemency Order, starting today, 2 March 2026.

Addressing the media in Harare on Monday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said:

“This executive action reflects a profound commitment to restorative justice, national compassion, and the strategic decongestion of correctional facilities to ensure they remain centres of rehabilitation rather than mere places of punishment.

“The 2026 amnesty is targeted and merit-based, focusing on vulnerable groups and those who have demonstrated significant progress in their rehabilitation.

“To benefit, most inmates must have served at least one-third of their sentence by the date of gazetting.”

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has outlined the categories of prisoners eligible for full remission of the remaining period of their sentences under the Clemency Order.

All convicted female inmates are included, with the exception of those convicted of certain serious offences. In addition, the order covers inmates who were under 18 years old at the time it was issued, with age to be verified through birth certificates or, where necessary, medical age estimation.

The amnesty also applies to inmates aged 60 and above who have served at least one-third of their sentence, as well as those certified as terminally ill by a correctional or government medical officer. This category includes individuals who are visually impaired or have physical disabilities that cannot be properly managed within a correctional setting.

Prisoners currently serving their sentences at open prisons and those who have served a minimum of 20 years, including individuals whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, are also eligible.

Ziyambi emphasised that, to safeguard the public and uphold the rule of law, certain offenders are strictly excluded from the amnesty.

Inmates convicted of serious crimes such as murder, treason, carjacking, robbery and armed robbery, rape or other sexual offences, as well as breaches of legislation including the Electricity Act, Copper Act, Railways Act, and Postal and Telecommunications Act, are not eligible.

The exclusion also covers offences such as trafficking in persons, public violence, contraventions of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, and any conspiracy, incitement, or attempt to commit these crimes. Said Ziyambi:

“The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service has conducted a nationwide audit through an electronic inmate data capturing programme to identify eligible beneficiaries.

“The total number of inmates benefiting from this order is 4,305, which includes 223 females and 4,082 males.

“However, for the males, 3,755 will be immediately released, and 327 will be released in a staggered manner.

“And please be advised that inmates serving over 48 months for non-specified offences receive a one-quarter remission of their remaining sentence.

“Furthermore, the nation should note that the release of the 3,978 beneficiaries begins today.

“The nation is urged to note that amnesty is not a dismissal of the gravity of the crimes committed, but an acknowledgement of the capacity for human reform.

“I call upon all Zimbabweans, families, community leaders, and the private sector to receive these individuals with grace.

“Successful reintegration is the most effective tool against recidivism.”

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