In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the first ever prison stakeholders meeting hosted by the Zimbabwe Prison Service to coordinate and harmonise efforts to improve the lot of inmates, ZPS spokesperson, Superintendent Elizabeth Banda said the stigma and discrimination against female prison officers dates back to the colonial era when they were not allowed to marry.
“When female prisoners got pregnant they were not allowed to go on maternity leave, but all this changed in 1980 at Independence,” said Banda. “But today most female prison officers are looked down upon by their male counterparts who do not appreciate their efforts. Some sections of society also regard female officers as having loose morals,” she added.
If a female officer attains a higher rank, fellow officers do not give her due respect owing to the widespread, but incorrect, belief that female officers can only get promoted if they engage in immoral behaviour with their bosses. Banda told stakeholders that prison officers faced huge challenges in their operations, including shortages of transport, decent accommodation and uniforms. The government was finding it difficult to finance ZPS activities, leaving officers in dire need of basic needs, she said.