Felistas Murata, widely known as Mai TT, recently performed at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, bringing joy to her fans and exhibitors in attendance.
Despite being currently incarcerated, Mai TT surprised many by not wearing the standard prison uniform during her performance.
To address the curiosity surrounding her attire, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) clarified the situation. Superintendent Meya Khanyezi, the national spokesperson for ZPCS, explained that several inmates, including Mai TT, were brought to the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show as part of their reintegration process into society.
The decision to have them wear their regular clothes instead of prison uniforms was a deliberate choice to emphasize the correctional aspect of their participation.
Superintendent Khanyezi further explained the rationale behind including Mai TT in the event, highlighting the message it conveyed. She stated,
“As ZPCS, we have engaged the correctional aspect by bringing inmates in their own attire instead of prison garb. It is a way of reintergrating them into society and this time we brought a number of inmates to the show. Among the inmates, we brought Mai TT, a celebrity, to send a message that even celebrities commit crime.
Everyone is a potential inmate, let us join hands in supporting ZPCS in the rehabilitation and reintergration of offenders.”
Expressing concern about the lack of support for released convicts, Superintendent Khanyezi noted that many people are reluctant to assist them after their release.
To address this issue, ZPCS has been training inmates to develop practical skills that will enable them to secure employment and become self-sufficient once they complete their sentences.
“A number of people do not want to support convicts upon their release so our inmates have been showcasing what they are making during incarceration.
They are being trained to be innovative so as to create jobs after completing their sentences. We had a number of visitors at ZPCS stand as people wanted to know how we are rehabilitating offenders,” elaborated Khanyezi.
Some of the items displayed by the inmates at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show included chairs, sofas, and bags crafted from recycled materials, demonstrating their commitment to rehabilitation and the development of valuable skills for their future
