RIGHTS BEHIND BARS A Study of Prison Conditions In Zimbabwe 2018 wished to do so. In addition, hygiene became an issue with the toilets owing to erratic water supply. There were also reports of diarrhoea having occurred mainly due to the limited supply of detergents and anti-bacterial products.54 There was overcrowding at Harare Remand Prison which had 978 inmates despite a holding capacity of 900 inmates. Understaffing was also a problem as these inmates were being managed by 279 officers against a required compliment of 379 officers.55 At Tabudirira Satellite Prison in Mutoko, there was only one cell which was a disused shed that had been converted to house inmates.56 Incidents of serious overcrowding were reported at Mutare Farm Prison as cells that had a holding capacity of between 15 to 20 prisoners housed up to 35 inmates per cell.57 The overcrowding taking place at many prisons clearly infringes upon detainees’ right to adequate accommodation as provided for in international law and section 50(5) (d) of the Zimbabwean Constitution. There were serious concerns regarding cell conditions and sanitation at Whawha Young Offenders Prison despite the fact that the prison had access to adequate municipal water. One cell block visited had one inside toilet and three outside ablution facilities including a urinary. The inmates used the bucket system during the day as the water came with low pressure. There were five showers in that block, they all need repair as they were not working. There were shortages of detergents as soap and other washing aides were rarely supplied by the Prison and inmates relied on what they received from relatives and well wishers.58 These cell conditions violate detainees’ right to conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity and to the provision at State expense of adequate accommodation, ablution facilities and personal hygiene as provided for by section 55(5)(d) of the Constitution. At Mutare Farm Prison, there was inadequate bathing soap in the washrooms and body lotion such that inmates had to rely on provisions brought by their relatives during visitations. Lice had become a serious problem and there was need for fumigation to fix the situation. There was erratic municipal water supply and the toilets were dilapidated indicating that there was a protracted neglect to repair them. Due to the erratic water supply, inmates had to resort to using water in buckets to flush the toilets.59 These conditions violate the prisoner’s right to be placed in conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity as provided for in the Constitution. As demonstrated above, the provision that requires State to provide adequate ablution facilities and personal hygiene are integral elements of the right to be placed in conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity. Being left to wash one’s body without soap or having to wait for relatives to provide the basic necessities required for personal hygiene or being left to live in conditions that permit for an ‘outbreak’ of lice is hardly consistent with the right to human dignity. 24 54 55 56 57 58 ZACRO and the Forum, Bindura Farm Prison Monitoring Visit Report, 2-3. ZACRO and the Forum, Harare Remand Prison Visit Report, 2. ZACRO and the Forum, Tabudirira Satellite Prison Visit, 2. ZACRO and the Forum, Mutare Farm Prison Monitoring Visit Report, 1. ZACRO and the Forum, Whawha Young Offenders Monitoring Visit Report, 3-4. 59 ZACRO and the Forum, Mutare Farm Prison Visit Report, 2. EGAP