BRIEFING | Hichilema Pardons 852 Inmates Ahead of Independence Day
President Hakainde Hichilema has pardoned 852 inmates to commemorate Zambia’s 62nd Independence Day, which falls on 24 October.
The beneficiaries include 838 ordinary inmates, four female inmates with children living with them in correctional facilities, eight elderly inmates and two foreign nationals.
The President has also commuted the sentences of 146 other inmates to fixed prison terms.
Home Affairs and Internal Security Permanent Secretary Dickson Matembo said the decision reflects the government’s commitment to rehabilitation, reducing prison overcrowding and moving away from the death penalty.
Matembo urged families and communities to support the released inmates as they reintegrate into society.
-The People’s Brief | Mwape Nthegwa
23 October 2026
