By A Correspondent- Legislators have demanded for a VIP section at prisons and correctional facilities complete with good gyms so that they do not suffer from stress and mix with common criminals.

This was suggested in the National Assembly by Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) while contributing to a debate on the supplementary budget.

“I am kindly asking you to supplement money for jails, especially in the VIP section. There is too much corruption, so we want a section done so that the VIP members do not mix with the general public,” Mliswa said.

“May you please increase money for rehabilitation of jails because I am foreseeing a lot of them (VIPs) going to those jails? May you please build VIP jails with good gyms and other facilities for them so that they do not mix and mingle with those who will have committed crimes like armed robberies and murder and they will not get stressed.”

Matabeleland South Proportional Representative MP Sipho Mokone said government should improve prison facilities in Gwanda.

“There is a Gwanda provincial correctional facility that has been on the cards for quite some time now. Every year, we are told that it is going to be built. May you kindly provide funds for that project so that it is done expeditiously,” Mokone said.

MDC Proportional Representative MP Yvonne Musarurwa said women in prisons should also be considered.

“May you please build more spacious jails so that they live comfortably. They are incapacitated in terms of accommodation, may you please help them so that we reduce overcrowding. May you please increase the budget to $20 billion,” Musarurwa said.

In response, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube proposed to increase the budget for the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ministry by $1 billion.

-newsday