Malawi’s prisons are set for relief after President Arthur Peter Mutharika pardoned 222 inmates and approved a general amnesty cutting sentences by nine months — a move authorities say will reduce the prison population by 15%.
Prison PRO Steve Meke has assured inmates of improved living standards under the New Prison Act 2025, which seeks to reduce overcrowding by allowing some convicts to serve part of their sentences in communities under supervision, while also promoting rehabilitation through skills training.
Malawi Prison Services (MPS) has cited congestion as the major contributing factor in the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the country's prisons.
MPS spokesperson Chimwemwe...
