President Samia awards 302 prison warders in Lake Zone

TANZANIA: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has awarded the Order of the Union to 302 prison warders in the Lake Zone for exemplary service.

During the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar last month, the Head of State awarded medals for distinguished service to various political leaders and security officials.

She issued the medals of recognition at a ceremony tied to the launching of two books on the 60 years of the union and the role of the Office of the VicePresident during that period. Earlier this week, some prison warders in the Lake Zone received their awards.

The officers were awarded in different categories such as long-term service, competency and good manners. Presenting the awards on behalf of President Samia here this week, the Commissioner General of Prisons (CGP) Mzee Nyamka, said that the medals meant a lot to the Force, including celebrating remarkable achievements.

He said the Prison Service has managed to transform the lives of many people and has helped in the eradication of violence and abuse against prisoners. He said the officers have been thoroughly implementing rehab programmes for behaviour change among the prisoners to make them good citizens.

Among the programmes include life skills and knowledge transferring, in line with a prisoner’s interest, be it farming, breeding, or crafts in areas of masonry, carpentry, welding and shoemaking, among other professions.

“Our officers adhere to ethics and guidelines. The prison isn’t an area for violence to inmates, but a safe custody and behaviour change arena and we have managed to achieve this,” he said.

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He added: “Whoever is caught abusing inmates is likely to experience summary dismissal. We prioritise rehab programmes as we believe that prisoners are transferring the acquired knowledge to other members of the public when they go back home,” said the CGP.

He said that the Force keeps on recruiting staff with different professions to improve such programmes, through which production activities for prisons have also been strengthened, mostly in agriculture. In this coming farming season, he added, the Prison Force expects to have 70 per cent of its food demand, mostly maize and rice, following an increase in skilled manpower.

“We will, therefore, go beyond food security targets in the very near future, with the surplus being taken to education and health institutions as per Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa’s recent directives to the Prison Force,” he said.

An awardee in the category of long-term serving and good behaviour, the Prison Officer in the Simiyu region, Ms Veronica Forodha, expressed her gratitude to President Samia, saying that the award serves as an incentive to let her stick to accountability. She believed that getting to work on time, working hard, respecting everybody and embracing teamwork spirit might be some factors that triggered her award.

“I also express my gratitude to the Commissioner General who keeps on guiding us and making sure the prison force performs accordingly. I will continue to be ethical,” she pledged.