Chitedze Prison to reduce congestion

Congestion in prisons across the country is expected to be history when the construction of Chitedze Maximum Prison Complex in Lilongwe is finalised.

The complex—which is expected to accommodate 40 000 inmates—will help the country achieve the two square metre recommended space per prisoner, according to Malawi Prison Services spokesperson Evance Phiri.

In the 2012/2013 national budget, Parliament allocated K200 million to the project to specifically cater for the construction of staff houses and servant quarters.

This year’s budget has set aside K180 million for the second phase which will kick off the construction of the prison facility and some offcices.

Phiri said the prison will accommodate the highest number of prisoners in the country.

“Our prisons are congested….for example, the normal capacity of Maula Prison in Lilongwe is 850 inmates, but it currently accommodates 2 000. Once Chitedze Maximum Prison Complex is finished, we will transfer some inmates to the new prison so that Maula should have 850 inmates,” said Phiri.

Phiri explained that the first phase of this project saw the construction of a flat of four houses and servant quarters.

“In addition, we have already paid Escom [Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi] and Lilongwe Water Board which have supplied the site with electricity and piped water, respectively,” said Phiri.

He said the phase cost K340 million.

“Our target is to construct 300 houses at this prison so that all prison warders should be operating from within the complex. This will be done in phases depending on how government allocates funds for the project in the future,” he said.

Spokesperson for Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security spokesperson Davies Saddo said in an interview last week that the second phase of the project would commence soon.

“Congestion in prisons remains a challenge for government, but once the construction of this complex is over, government’s vision to have prisons that can transform inmates into productive and reformed citizens of Malawi will come true,” said Saddo.

Phiri said the whole prison complex is estimated to cost K10 billion.