Tinotenda Hove – The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service has started releasing thousands of inmates following the enactment of General Notice 99 of 2026, also known as Clemency Order Number 1 of 2026. The order was officially gazetted on 20 February 2026 and authorises a broad amnesty for selected categories of prisoners.

The clemency initiative, approved by Emmerson Mnangagwa, will see 4,305 inmates freed beginning 2 March 2026. Of those set for release, 223 are women and 4,082 are men.

Speaking to journalists in Harare on Monday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi described the move as a step toward reform and compassion.

“This executive action reflects a profound commitment to restorative justice, national compassion, and the strategic decongestion of correctional facilities to ensure they remain centres of rehabilitation rather than mere places of punishment,” he said.

He explained that the amnesty is selective and based on merit. “The 2026 amnesty is targeted and merit-based, focusing on vulnerable groups and those who have demonstrated significant progress in their rehabilitation,” Ziyambi stated.

“To benefit, most inmates must have served at least one-third of their sentence by the date of gazetting.”

Under the order, all convicted female inmates qualify for remission of the remainder of their sentences, except those convicted of specified serious crimes. Juvenile offenders who were under 18 at the time of the order are also eligible, with age verification conducted through birth records or medical assessment where necessary.

The clemency extends to inmates aged 60 and above who have completed at least one-third of their sentences, as well as prisoners certified as terminally ill by government or correctional medical officers. Those who are visually impaired or living with disabilities that cannot be adequately managed within prison facilities are also included.

Additionally, inmates housed in open prisons and those who have served at least 20 years — including prisoners whose death penalties were commuted to life imprisonment — fall within the qualifying categories.

Ziyambi stressed that public safety remains a priority and that certain serious offences are excluded from the amnesty.

Inmates convicted of crimes such as murder, treason, carjacking, robbery and armed robbery, rape and other sexual offences are not eligible. The exclusion list also covers violations of laws including the Electricity Act, Copper Act, Railways Act and Postal and Telecommunications Act, as well as offences related to human trafficking, public violence, and breaches of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act.

Providing further details on implementation, Ziyambi said: “The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service has conducted a nationwide audit through an electronic inmate data capturing programme to identify eligible beneficiaries.”

He added, “The total number of inmates benefiting from this order is 4,305, which includes 223 females and 4,082 males. However, for the males, 3,755 will be immediately released, and 327 will be released in a staggered manner.”

“Inmates serving over 48 months for non-specified offences receive a one-quarter remission of their remaining sentence,” he continued.

Ziyambi confirmed that the release process has already begun. “The nation should note that the release of the 3,978 beneficiaries begins today.”

Emphasising the broader goal behind the move, he said, “The nation is urged to note that amnesty is not a dismissal of the gravity of the crimes committed, but an acknowledgement of the capacity for human reform.”

He concluded with an appeal to the public: “I call upon all Zimbabweans, families, community leaders, and the private sector to receive these individuals with grace. Successful reintegration is the most effective tool against recidivism.”