Zomba Central Prison
Interactive map of Zomba Central Prison | |
| Location | Zomba, Malawi |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 15°23′13″S 35°19′09″E / 15.38694°S 35.31917°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum (male and female) |
| Capacity | 340 |
| Opened | January 1935 |
| Managed by | Malawi Prison Service |
Zomba Central Prison is a referral national prison in Malawi. It is the biggest prison in Malawi. In January 2024, the prison was moved to Lilongwe.[1][2][3]
History
Formation
Zomba Central Prison was built in 1935 during the British colonial era in Malawi (then known as Nyasaland). It was designed to hold 340 prisoners and was intended to serve as a maximum-security facility for the country.[3][4]
Facilities
The prison has six cell blocks, including the blocks for juvenile offenders, first offenders, recurrent offenders, women and condemned prisoners.
The prison also has facilities for prisoners to work and receive training, such as a workshop, a farm, and a tailoring shop.[3][5]
Zomba Prison Project
The prison is the location of the musical collaboration Zomba Prison Project, a 20-track compilation produced by Ian Brennan and his wife Italian photographer Marilena Umuhoza Delli and released in 2015 by Six Degrees Records featuring recordings of compositions and performances by inmates at the prison.[6] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, the first ever Grammy nomination by Malawian artists.[7]
Brennan and Delli, returned to the prison twice more in 2016 to compile a second album titled I Will Not Stop Singing.[8]
References
- ^ The Prison System in Malawi: An Insider's Account" by M. A. Phiri (2017)
- ^ Malawi's Prison System: A Review of the Literature" by J. K. M. Mhone (2007)
- ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-12-27. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Prisons and Prisoners in Malawi: A Human Rights Perspective" by C. M. M. Chirambo (2009)
- ^ Prison Reform in Malawi: A Study of Zomba Central Prison" by F. M. Chisi (2015)
- ^ Kozinn, Allan (3 December 2014). "Songs Sung From a Prison in Malawi". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (19 December 2025). "Malawi Prisoners Score Surprise Grammy Nomination". Rolling Stones. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "I will not stop singing". Bandcamp. Retrieved 12 August 2024.