By Lauryn M’banga

Centre for Human Rights, Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) says discrimination of ex-convicts is one of the factors contributing to re-offending.

Two ex-convicts were jailed last month for theft charges barely two months after being pardoned by President Lazarus Chakwera as part of this year’s July 6 independence celebrations.

Victor Mhango, CHREAA executive director said some former convicts corroborate with other criminals due to discrimination.

“Most of the times when these people are released from prison, we do not want to accept them in our families, we take them as criminals, as such they do not have anywhere to go, hence mobilizing each other and start criminal activities all over again.”

“People should understand that convicts get released once they serve their sentences, because prison is meant to reform a person, hence we need to support that reformation,” Mhango said.

He further asked government to speed up the finalization of the enactment of the Prisons Bill so as to revamp necessary efforts towards the transformation of prisoners in the country.

“The new bill has important components that will highly contribute to the reformation process of law offenders,” Mhango said.