The Zimbabwean government launched a large-scale release operation on Monday, affecting more than 4,000 prisoners . Officially motivated by the need to relieve overcrowding in prisons, this presidential amnesty comes amid a particularly tense political climate.

Key figures on the amnesty

According to the Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi, the process concerns precisely 4,305 people , including 223 women.

1. The stated objective is to reduce the pressure on prisons, which had more than 24,000 inmates by mid-2025.
2. Selection criteria: Priority given to "vulnerable" profiles and prisoners who have shown concrete signs of reintegration.
3. Notable exclusions: Those convicted of serious crimes (murder, rape, armed robbery) as well as those prosecuted for "disturbing public order" — a charge frequently used against political opponents — are excluded from the measure.

A political timing that raises questions

The announcement of this amnesty last February coincided with a controversial government decision: the approval of major constitutional amendments.

The context: These reforms aim to keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa (83 years old) in power until 2030. The plan is to extend the presidential term to seven years and transfer the election of the head of state to Parliament, where the ruling party (Zanu-PF) holds a dominant influence.

Scenes of joy and propaganda

At Harare Central Prison, the atmosphere oscillated between relief and political posturing. Hundreds of inmates, having traded their orange uniforms for civilian clothes, celebrated their release. Some sang songs in praise of the president, while others waved banners bearing his image.

For 23-year-old Tendai Chitsika, released two months before the end of his sentence for theft, this amnesty is a "second chance." The Minister of Justice, for his part, praised it as a gesture of "national compassion" and "restorative justice."

An opposition standing up in protest

Despite these scenes of jubilation, anger is simmering within civil society and the opposition. Critics of the regime denounce a veritable "constitutional coup ." They see these legislative maneuvers as a tool to consolidate power in favor of Zanu-PF, at a time when the country is experiencing a period of intense social protest against Mnangagwa's governance.