The good news is that the Malawi Consul General and the Provincial Director of Prison Services in Mozambique’s Tete Province have reached an agreement that will allow Malawians to visit their imprisoned relatives in prisons located in the province.
This significant development has been approved by the Mozambican Attorney General’s provincial office and was initiated by Malawi’s Ambassador to Mozambique, Wezi Moyo. The Consul General, Happy Jonathan Sakah, engaged with Mozambican authorities regarding the situation of Malawians incarcerated in Tete Province. As a result, it was found that there are currently 83 Malawians serving sentences in four of the province’s prisons, with the majority held in Tete, Changala, and Moatize prisons.
This new opportunity for Malawians to visit their incarcerated relatives is attributed to the positive relationship between President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his Mozambican counterpart, Felipe Nyusi.
Additionally, plans are underway to allow Malawian inmates serving minor sentences or nearing the end of their jail terms to return home and facilitate the repatriation of illegal immigrants in accordance with international law. This development is a significant step in promoting the well-being and rights of Malawians in Mozambique’s prison system.
During Sakah’s interactions with Mozambican authorities, he mentioned a specific case of a Malawian prisoner named Gift Chivundula, a 47-year-old truck driver from Kasungu, who is serving a 10-year sentence for human trafficking. The prospect of a visit from his relatives brought immense joy to Chivundula.
This development is expected to provide solace to many other Malawians incarcerated for similar offenses. In response to the question of whether Mozambicans can visit their imprisoned relatives in Malawi, Mozambican Consul General Andre Matusse confirmed that there should be no hindrance as long as visitors possess the required travel documents. Matusse also mentioned that he had recently visited Mozambican prisoners in various Malawian correctional facilities, although specific figures were unavailable due to his absence from the office. The current count of Malawian prisoners in Tete Province stands at 83.
