Mozambique’s Ministry of Justice has launched a pilot programme to introduce electronic monitoring bracelets in prisons, a move officials say could reduce inmate‑related costs by up to 80 percent and ease chronic overcrowding.
The initiative, unveiled at Maputo’s main prison in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will initially cover 3,000 inmates.
The bracelets, worn on wrists or ankles, allow authorities to track movements of prisoners permitted outside facilities.
Justice Minister Mateus Saize described the measure as “a gigantic strategic step towards humanising the prisons,” noting that each electronically monitored inmate will cost the state about 30,000 meticais (about $470) annually compared to 150,000 meticais for those held in closed facilities.
Officials estimate the savings will free resources for rehabilitation programmes, prison upgrades and modernisation of justice administration.
Mozambique’s prison system currently holds around 20,000 inmates, far exceeding capacity.
Overcrowding has long strained facilities and budgets, with the state spending roughly three million meticais annually to keep the system functioning.
Authorities said inmates selected for the programme will be carefully vetted by courts, prosecutors, and prison staff to ensure suitability.
The pilot marks Mozambique’s most significant reform effort in years to address overcrowding, a problem that has drawn criticism from rights groups and hindered rehabilitation.
JN/APA