BLANTYT-(MaraviPost)-Deputy Commissioner of Prisons and Officer-in-Charge for Blantyre Prison, Owen Maharawipha Levi, has revealed that the prison has exhausted its budget allocation and is now struggling to meet the basic needs of its 2,674 inmates.

Levi made the disclosure during Human Rights Day commemorations organised by the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (CHREAA).

He said the government allocated K924 million for the 2024–2025 national budget, an amount which translates to just K350 per inmate per day.

According to Levi, the allocation is far below what is required to provide adequate food, medical supplies and other essentials for prisoners.

Reacting to the revelation, CHREAA Executive Director Victor Mhango condemned the government’s funding levels, stating that “K350 per day is not enough, and it can’t even buy a loaf of bread.”

Mhango added that he hopes the new Prison Act—set to replace the outdated 1956 legislation—will bring meaningful reforms once operational guidelines are finalised.

Justice Sylvester Kalembera, who also attended the event, acknowledged ongoing progress in the justice sector but stressed the need for stronger coordination to tackle systemic challenges affecting correctional facilities.

Director of Criminal Litigation at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Josephine Gwaza, said her office is aware of delays in concluding cases and has taken note of contributing factors.

Programme Coordinator for Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI), Lindiwe Sibande, said the commemoration—held under the theme “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials”—served as a reminder to incarcerated individuals that they are not forgotten.

The Maravi Post