By A Correspondent- MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has called for urgent wholesale reforms on prisons, justice system and correctional services.

His remarks follow his recent visit to Chikurubi Maximum Prison where he had gone to visit incarcerated MDC members Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maengahama.

The duo was convicted and sentenced to 20 years each by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu in 2016 for fatally stoning Mutedza, a police officer, at Glen View shopping centre during an MDC-T rally in May 2011.

Posting on Twitter, Chamisa bemoaned the state of affairs at the prison.

He said:

“Had occasion to visit 2 innocent cdes Maengahama and Madzokere at Chikurubi Maximum prison to meet and pray with them.The prison is overcrowded,over 2600 inmates living in poverty and squalid conditions.Our prisons,justice system and correctional services need urgent wholesale reform.”

Reports suggest that Chamisa was temporarily blocked from entering the prison on Friday (yesterday).

He was finally let in after guards had made “countless” calls to higher offices.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, Chamisa said:

I have had to come here to spend more than three hours waiting for the clearance. I understand that they indicated that I’m high profile so they needed to make sure that they inform their head office.

It is undesirable and very unfortunate. I’m a lawyer, I have every right as a lawyer to visit any client whom I wish to visit but more to that I’m also a leader of a political party, legitimate, legal and lawful political party.