- Country
- Zimbabwe
- Ministry responsible
- Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
- Prison administration
- Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services
- Contact address
-
Private Bag 7718, Causeway, Harare
Zimbabwe - Telephone
- Fax
- Head of prison administration
-
Moses Chihobvu, Commissioner
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
27,683
at January 2026 (National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
167
based on an estimated national population of 16.54 million at January 2026 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
21.6%
(January 2026)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
3.3%
(28.6.2025)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
0.6%
(April 2019 - under 18)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
2.5%
(30.9.2023)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
72
(2019 - 46 main prisons, 26 satellite prisons)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
17,800
(January 2026)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
155.5%
(January 2026)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 20,567 | 164 | |
| c. 21,000 | c. 165 | |
| 19,608 | 152 | |
| 18,081 | 137 | |
| 14,029 | 103 | |
| 13,361 | 96 | |
| c. 16,900 | c. 128 | |
| 17,484 | 129 | |
| 19,521 | 137 | |
| 19,382 | 133 | |
| 20,407 | 136 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
- Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
- Female prison population: trend
- Prison population trend up to 2000
Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
ZIMBABWE
| Year | Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment | Percentage of total prison population | Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2000 2005 2010 2015 2019 | 5,747 5,357 3,689 3,224 3,606 | 27.9% 29.7% 27.6% 17.1% 18.6% | 46 43 29 21 21 |
| 2026 | 5,970 | 21.6% | 36 |
It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
Female prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
ZIMBABWE
| Year | Number of female prisoners | Percentage of total prison population | Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2001 2005 2010 2015 2019 | 671 602 c. 450 391 458 | 3.5% 3.3% 3.0% 2.1% 2.4% | 5.3 4.8 3.2 2.5 2.7 |
| 2025 | 805 | 3.3% | 5.0 |
The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).
Prison population trend up to 2000
The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.
ZIMBABWE
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1986 1990 1992 1995 1998 2000 | 14,223 15,674 21,212 21,212 18,977 20,567 | 155 150 191 180 154 164 |
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