By Paul Nyathi| Is President Emmerson Mnangagwa guaranteed of 4 000 votes already? This could be the question as most of the pardoned prisoners have vowed to rush to go and register as voters and promise to “pay back” Mnangagwa by voting for him.
The President this week granted freedom to over 3 000 prisoners under a special presidential amnesty in a bid to reduce congestion at the country’s prisons.
Elated freed prisoners who talked to the media on their way out of prison mostly indicated that their first point of call will be voter registration centres where they want to go and register as voters and promise to vote for Mnangagwa for giving them unexpected early freedom.
Phephelaphi Gumbo, who was serving a 20-year jail sentence for aggravated indecent assault, could not hide her joy and appreciation for the gesture by President Mnangagwa.
“I was sentenced to 20 years for aggravated indecent assault last year. I came here in August and had completed six months of my sentence.
“I was sentenced for a crime I did not commit but I would like to thank President Mnangagwa for the kind gesture. I would have rotted in prison if it were not for him, I wish the Lord to add more years to his life, he is very kind and as I go out, I will definitely vote for him,” said Ms Gumbo.
Ms Ethel Ncube, who was serving a nine year sentence for stock theft, was jailed while heavily pregnant and gave birth to her in daughter in prison.
“My father got me arrested when I was heavily pregnant, I hoped he would he pardon me but now the President has pardoned me. He is not my father but he has pardoned me, he is a good man and I am definitely going to register and vote for him,” she said.
“I left my children and I was heavily pregnant, now my daughter is one year and one month old,” said Ms Ncube.
One of the happiest women who sang and danced upon her release was Charmaine Ngwenya (35) who was serving a 30 month sentence for assault.
She said she was grateful and was definitely going to register to vote for Mnangagwa.
“I came here for assault, I came here in December, but what our President has done makes me happy and he deserves my vote. I was not expecting to be out this time of the year.
“I am so happy; I don’t know how I will thank President Mnangagwa. Today I will sleep at home,” she said.
“The President’s decision to pardon us has come as a relief to me,” said a released male convict.
“He deserves all our votes,” he said.
“First and foremost I want to thank prison officials who kept me for 24 years since 1994. I was condemned to face a death penalty but after seven years my sentence was commuted to life and the President saw it fit that I be released to face the world.
“I was facing a murder charge after I mistakenly killed my father with a knife while trying to defend my mother who had been a victim of violent behaviour since we were young. We were arrested and sentenced to death. My mother was released in 2005 under Presidential amnesty. I do not know where to start. I do not even know if I still have a wife and relatives. They stopped visiting me a long time ago including my mother.”
A total of 699 prisoners have been freed from Bulawayo, Hwange, Victoria Falls prisons following the Presidential amnesty.
662 prisoners were released from prisons in Bulawayo while a combined 37 inmates were released from the Hwange and Victoria Falls prisons on Monday and yesterday.
In an interview with state media yesterday soon after the release of inmates at Bulawayo Prison, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services public relations officer for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Principal Correctional Officer Garainashe Moyo said a total of 662 prisoners had been released from Khami and Bulawayo prisons.
Out of the 814 names that have been submitted for pardon, a total of 662 have already been released from Khami and Bulawayo prisons since Monday.
He urged people to accept the former inmates and also pleaded with the inmates to avoid being repeat offenders.
“We are saying to them do not to come back here, society should accept these people so that they feel that they are not misfits, they are an integral part of society, your societies,” said Moyo.