Esther hails Church for supporting inmates

THE Church plays a critical role in reforming inmates and other offenders into law abiding citizens, First Lady Esther Lungu has said.

Ms Lungu said the Church should continue playing a leading role in ensuring that offenders were nurtured into God fearing people through spiritual guidance.

She was speaking at a fundraising dinner held at the weekend by the Zambia Correctional Service aimed at improving the welfare of inmates in the country.

"It is gratifying to note that the Zambian Correctional Service is responding to the government's aspiration of transforming the prison system into a full correctional establishment," she said.

Ms Lungu said President Lungu, valued the contribution the Church made to improve the well-being of the Zambians, especially in the transformation and rehabilitation of the inmates as evidenced by the many positive encounters between the Church and government.

She pledged K25, 000 to improve the welfare of inmates in Zambia and thanked the clergy for partnering with the Zambia Correctional Service in championing the needs of inmates to the general public especially inmates with special needs.

And Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo said the correctional facilities government was building were meant to ensure that those who offended society were reformed and when given a chance to come back to society they came back as different beings.

He said as government they were also doing so much to provide health services for the inmates the country.

Meanwhile, the chairperson for Zambia Correctional Service, Pastor Rebecca Moonde, said they had mobilised the church and another religions to supplement government's efforts in helping the inmates.