For the first time, a female inmate has been admitted to a public university after passing the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.
Ivyone Kalimona, who is at Mzuzu Prison, has been selected to pursue a bachelor of science in water resources engineering and management at Mzuzu University (Mzuni).
She is among five inmates who the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) wants President Lazarus Chakwera to pardon for being admitted into various public universities.
The others are Godrick Nkhoma of Mzimba Prison. He has been selected to pursue a bachelor of arts in theology and religious studies at Mzuni, Paul Tembo from Maula Prison will pursue a bachelor of arts in humanities at University of Malawi.
Austin Chisuse and George Chipwanthe from Blantyre Prison have been selected to Domasi College of Education to pursue a bachelor of education (linguistics) and bachelor of education (history and social studies) respectively.
In a letter dated July 20 2024 addressed to Chakwera and copied to Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale-Ng’oma, Chreaa executive director Victor Mhango said the five inmates have demonstrated exceptional dedication to personal growth and development.
According to Mhango, admission of the five in public universities is a 100 percent increase from two who made to university last year.
Said Mhango: “We believe that these remarkable achievements deserve recognition and merits special consideration for pardon in accordance with Section 89 [2] of the Constitution of Malawi which gives you [Chakwera] powers of pardon.
“The pardon will give them the much needed opportunity to continue their studies. These individuals have served part of their sentences and their behaviour and performance indicates that they are reformed and will not pose any danger to society”.
Section 89 (2) of the Malawi Constitution gives the President powers to grant pardons to convicted prisoners, a prerogative he has exercised on numerous occasions, especially when observing national holidays and other special events.
In exercise of the President’s powers in regards to the section, Mhango has further appealed to Chakwera to consider releasing prisoners who have shown exemplary behaviour by performing well in their MSCE examinations so that they may pursue further studies.
Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda on Wednesday referred the matter to the Ministry of Homeland Security despite the President being the recipient of the request letter.
He said: “These things are done at the Ministry of Homeland Security. The President receives recommendations. You may wish to check with the ministry”.
Both Zikhale-Ng’oma and Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary Steven Kayuni were not available.
But a response delivered in rough notes dated July 23 2024 directs the Ministry of Justice to follow up.
“Received and noted with thanks. Congratulations to the inmates. Ministry of Justice to follow up and advise,” reads Chakwera’s rough notes on the request letter with an official stamp from the State President’s Office.
But Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale on Wednesday stated that prisoners who were selected to public universities were recommended for pardon in the previous year.
He said: “Prisoners who were selected to public universities were recommended for pardon to the President by the Advisory Committee on Pardon alongside others who qualified for pardon according to the guidelines from the committee.
“The President duly pardoned them to enable them pursue their studies at the universities to which they had been selected. So, in as far as we know, those prisoners were pardoned and released from prison”.
But Mhango insisted that the five are yet to be granted pardon; hence, Chreaa decided to write Chakwera to make the request. The National Council for Higher Education released names of students selected to various public universities in June 2024 which included the five inmates.
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