By JULIUS PHIRI –
PRISONERS at Chipata’s Namuseche Prison in Eastern Province are struggling to have meals on time following the burning of the kitchen recently.
Provincial prisons deputy commanding officer Njavwani Nalungwe said authorities at the prison were using firewood to prepare meals for the inmates following the damage caused by the fire.
Ms Nalungwe told High Court Judge William Mweemba during the official opening of the High Court session in Chipata yesterday that the situation was desperate for the prisoners.
She said the preparation of the three meals was taking longer than usual because of the use of firewood.
“The kitchen unit got gutted and after the gutting, the preparation of the meals for the inmates is taking longer,” she stated.
Ms Nalungwe also revealed that inmates in the province were lacking uniforms thereby posing a security risk because they could not be easily identified.
By 06:00 hours yesterday, the five prisons in the province had a total population of 1,839 inmates.
Chipata’s Namuseche was the most populated with 807 inmates, followed by Petauke which had 316 inmates. Katete had 236 inmates, Lundazi (237) inmates and Nyimba had 243 inmates.
