Khami Maximum Prison ‘College’ graduate
THE loud bang of the magistrate’s gavel hitting against the wooden bar after passing a 12-year sentence, somehow might have halted 37-year-old Lovemore Mbulawa’s future plans. He had to do time in the “dungeon of doom” where prospects of prosperous dreams turning into reality are more of a fallacy.
It seemed as though Mbulawa’s dream for a successful life had been dashed in an instant.
For a moment, he inwardly swore and cursed at Magistrate Tendai Mahwe’s “loveless” actions to decide his fate by condemning him to the meaning of his surname. Mbulawa to an extent means “the murdered one” in IsiNdebele. He had been convicted of stock theft. “I was shocked and shed tears after the sentence was passed. I was thinking of what would become of my children during the time I would be serving time in jail.
“I even refused to say anything during mitigation, instead I just told the court I wasn’t guilty but the evidence linking me to the crime was overwhelming. For the first two years I had sleepless nights but I soon got used to it,” said Mbulawa.
His first feel of life in isolation from society was while he was in remand at Kwekwe Prison. Upon being sentenced he served two months at Whawha and then he was later transferred to Chikurubi Maximum Prison where he did time for seven months and thereafter the “prison trotting” Mbulawa volunteered for a transfer to Khami Maximum Prison.
After serving three of his 12 years jail term, passed on him in 2009, Mbulawa decided to pursue his academic endeavours. He was to sit for his Ordinary Level examinations in 2013 at Khami Prison where he wrote Mathematics, Accounts, Business Studies and Economics. He passed Economics with an A and obtained Bs in the other subjects.
In 2014 he sat for his Advanced Level examinations and managed to obtain six points after sitting for Accounts, Business Studies and Economics.
“I decided to pursue my academic studies after it dawned on me that all my peers will have progressed in life by the time I come out of jail and it will take me time to pick my pieces,” said Mbulawa.
Upon passing his A-level, Mbulawa registered for a Diploma in Business Administration and for an Accounting Diploma with the Zimbabwe Institute of Management as well as the Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa last year respectively.
“I wrote Part A of my Accounting Diploma in May last year and my first five examinations in Diploma in Business Administration in June the same year. Studying was made easy as they were many inmates that were experts in various fields thus I would get information from them and there is also a library there for one to use.
“I had to be moved from Khami to reside at Bulawayo Prison, which is located within the Central Business District to enable me to be close to the examinations centre. I would be accompanied to the examination centre by two plain clothed Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officers,” said Mbulawa.
Writing examinations at least gave Mbulawa “temporary relief” to clad his “beloved” attire instead of the ragged and sack prison garb. He was also accorded a rare opportunity of a getting a glimpse of the “worldview” beyond the prison walls, an opportunity to mingle with other members of the society rather than the prison guards and fellow inmates.
Mbulawa also curved a name for himself in the history books of Khami Prison by becoming the institution’s first ever Accounts teacher in 2015 and to put an icing on the cake, one of his “students” who wrote the subject under the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council exams came out with a aggregate A.
“In 2015 I taught O-level and A-level Accounts, I became the first A-level Accounts “teacher” at Khami and what even surprised officials there is that one of my two “students” came out with an A while the other one had an E,” he said.
After passing the first five subjects of his Diploma in Business Administration studies, Mbulawa started reading for the final five subjects to attain his certificate. He registered for the second and final examinations in February this year and luckily he was however, released from prison on 25 May on Presidential pardon, 10 days before sitting for his ultimate test.
“When I was released on amnesty I had already written for a request for temporary reprieve to prison officials to be allowed to write my final exams,” said Mbulawa.
Back from College — a song dedicated to the late blind musician and songwriter Paul Matavire by his Jairos Jiri Band members in commemoration of their leader’s one-year stint in jail on rape charges — would perfectly fit as a “sound track” to Mbulawa’s life.
What makes Mbulawa’s feat more of a fairytale is the fact that he failed to make it academically in a rather conducive and comfortable environment — at home and in a proper school set-up only to be schooled while incarcerated.
“Life in prison is not rosy at all. Much has to be done for it to be referred to as a correctional centre because I feel some of the guards disregard the well being and rights of prisoners and the conditions are unbearable. One also comes face to face with habitual criminals that go out only to come back again,” he said.
True to Mbulawa’s assertions Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner Paradzai Zimondi said Zimbabwe’s prisons are still far from reaching internationally recommended standards and remain more of places built to punish offenders as opposed to rehabilitation institutions.
Last month he graduated with a Diploma in Business Administration and not only that — he was the programme’s best student.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the guest of honour renowned Bulawayo businessman and philanthropist Clemence Kunzekweguta said people should pluck a leaf from Mbulawa and aspire to achieve their goals despite the challenges facing them.
“People are normally discouraged by the negative circumstances in their lives. Of course at times it wears you out emotionally and physically . . . We are all familiar with the biblical story of Joseph. The man who rose from the pit to the palace despite turbulence, uncertainty and ambiguity which characterised circumstances he found himself in.
“In the ‘passion’ of Joseph, we find pre-figured the passion of Jesus, both were betrayed and sold but through their sufferings entered glory . . . Joseph faces all these challenges, trials and misfortunes with fortitude and a problem solving approach to life. He does not only interpret the dreams by just explaining the vision, he does what is most important — he solves the problems,” said Kunzekweguta.
Last week he was sitting for Part A of his Accounting Diploma and is looking forward to doing a Higher Diploma in Business Administration.
“I intend to pursue my studies even further and possibly do a Higher Diploma in Business Administration but my dream might be shattered because I don’t have money thus I appeal to individuals or corporates for a helping hand.
A relative paid for his academics while he was incarcerated but now that he is out of prison he is struggling to do so on his own as he also has to fend for his family since his wife is also unemployed.
The closest Mbulawa got to being formally employed was in the late 90s when he would do temporary teaching.Apart from that he relied on buying and selling cattle.
“I am also supposed to go for an attachment after writing my Part B of my Accounting Diploma before I proceed to Part C thus I am looking forward to any company to engage me in their finance and accounting department,” said Mbulawa.
The 47-year-old Mbulawa also said he was making efforts to ensure that his children enhance their education qualifications. Mbulawa is father to six with the eldest aged 26 while the youngest child is eight years old.
“My eldest child did well at school but the other three fared badly, maybe it was due to the fact that I was in incarceration when they wrote their O-levels exams. My wish is that they also pursue their education because I realised that one can start academic learning at any age,” he said.