Construction work on a new central prison in Kashusha, in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was officially launched on Thursday, October 12. This initiative aims to relocate the current Bukavu central prison to a new site offering modern facilities and improved detention conditions.
With a capacity planned to accommodate up to 3,000 inmates, the new prison will include several blocks dedicated to men, women and minors. It will also be equipped with a modern medical structure, blocks for religious denominations, rooms dedicated to conjugal visits and recreational spaces. To promote the rehabilitation of prisoners, a vocational training block, a library and a literacy school are also planned. In addition, approximately four hectares of land will be reserved for agricultural work, allowing inmates to develop agricultural skills.
This initiative demonstrates the desire of the provincial government of South Kivu to improve prison conditions and promote human rights. Indeed, the central prison of Bukavu, which currently has a capacity of around 200 inmates, is faced with alarming prison overcrowding with more than a thousand people incarcerated.
The construction work on the new prison will be carried out by the company Babu SARL and should take two years. This is an important step in the modernization of the province’s prison system, by providing a more humane environment conducive to the social reintegration of inmates.
In conclusion, the construction of the new Kashusha central prison marks a significant step forward in the management of penitentiary establishments in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This project aims to provide dignified detention conditions, promote the rehabilitation of detainees and guarantee respect for human rights. It is essential that these efforts continue and that additional measures are taken to resolve the problem of prison overcrowding in the country.