“Zimbabwe Shocks World by Releasing Over 4,000 Prisoners in Presidential Amnesty – Why?!”

Do you grasp the meaning of this piece? Zimbabwe has taken action by releasing more than 4000 prisoners as part of a presidential amnesty, which represents around 20% of the country’s total number of inmates.

This move has reduced overcrowding in prisons, a situation that was becoming increasingly unsustainable. About a fifth of Zimbabwe’s prisoners were freed, which the correctional service described as a “noble gesture” by the president.

This decision was made a few months ahead of general elections and has an uncertain impact. The amnesty was granted to various categories of prisoners, excluding violent criminals, robbers, and those serving time for treason and public order and security offences.

The released prisoners will be able to vote in the upcoming elections, although no date has been announced yet.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is facing several challenges, such as extreme poverty, electricity cuts, and inflation levels. He previously granted a similar amnesty during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to limit the virus’s spread in detention facilities.