HARARE – Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has eliminated white prison uniforms for convicted men and green robes for female prisoners.
They are replaced by orange for men and pink for women.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said old uniforms have always been a liability since they were introduced in colonial times.
At an event to launch the new uniform on Tuesday, the minister said the colorful uniforms would help the nation recover from colonial injustice.
“These changes aim to banish from our minds historical colonial injustices. Our traditional uniform was worn by sons and daughters tormented by heinous colonial cruelty,” he said.
“The new uniforms also contribute to the hygiene requirements of prisoners, as they are not as bright and cannot get visibly dirty as easily,” the minister added.
Male inmates now wear orange uniforms. In winter, they are allowed to wear long-sleeved tops and round-necked pants.
Women change from green dresses to pink dresses.
The uniforms were unveiled at an event where the Minister of Justice also handed over official vehicles for distribution across the country.
The ZPCS received 13 5-ton trucks, 25 Ford Ranger single-cab trucks, seven NP300 pickup trucks, 14 Toyota GD6 4X4 pickup trucks and two 64-seat buses. The fleet was purchased through the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The ZPCS is in the grip of a traffic crisis. The shortage of vehicles meant that detainees sometimes failed to appear in court, but Ziyambi vowed that would never happen again.
- RosGwen24 News/ additional report by Kukurigo Updates
