23 Dec 2020

First Lady Ms Neo Masisi has urged Moshupa Boys Prison inmates to develop skills that will help them leave successful and responsible lives outside prison. Speaking during her visit to the Boys Prison on December 22, where she also donated volleyball kits, balls, nets and snacks, Ms Masisi underscored the need for prisoners to be loved, accepted and recognised despite their predicament.

Consequently, she noted that her annual prison visits, which started in Gaborone in 2018, were intended to motivate, instill hope and enhance self-worth among prisoners.

“I started in Gaborone in 2018. In 2019, I visited Mahalapye prison and today I am in Moshupa and the main objective is to share love with those who will not be with their families during the festive season and also appreciate your various talents and skills,” she said.

Ms Masisi has commended the Botswana Prisons Service for nurturing talent in various fields and also undertaking life skills coaching for inmates to prepare them for life outside prison. She noted that such talents and skills would not only help them succeed in life, but would also contribute to the development of the country.

However, she noted that their destiny would be determined by their willingness to change and become responsible citizens. “Phoso e tsalwa le motho, ke gore fela lona diphoso tsa lona di ne di le kgatlhanong le ditsamaiso tsa lefatshe,” she said. For his part, the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, who is also Moshupa/Manyana MP, Mr Karabo Gare applauded the First Lady for prioritising prison visits to spread love and hope for future leaders.

“Your love and encouraging words do not only motivate prisoners but everyone in the audience because I believe everybody has their own prison. These are words of wisdom and hope, and we thank you for that,” he said.

Mr Gare also said his ministry embrace the envisioned schooling in prison, which would hopefully bridge the skills gap and contribute towards the development of the country.

He said he was optimistic that the skills acquired would help them venture into income generating projects and to some extent address the economic challenges that landed some of them in prison.

“Most of them are here because they succumbed to peer pressure and I believe it is our responsibility as a nation to rehabilitate them into better citizens,” he said. Botswana Prisons Service Commissioner, Mr Silas Motlalekgosi noted that the BPS was not only committed to rehabilitating offenders but also to instil skills and nurture various talents to build responsible citizens. He said of the current 3 801 prisoners across the country, 252 were those below the age of 20 years and were rehabilitated at Moshupa Boys Prison.

Therefore, Mr Motlalekgosi said the department’s future aspiration was to build a school within the facility so that they could continue to learn while in prison.

He further noted that they continued to engage offenders in sport and arts as a way of contributing towards their rehabilitation and survival skills outside prison.

Kgosi Oscar Mosielele of Moshupa also urged the inmates to learn from their mistakes and change their lives for the better.

He commended the First Lady for spreading love to those who were deprived of parental love during the festive season. “As an elder and parent in society, this is a good thing to do because even in our culture we look up to our elders for love and motivation,” said Kgosi Mosielele. ENDS