African LII
19 March 2025
By Anneke Meerkotter
“The conditions are very poor … I can say beyond human living … something you cannot imagine. We would sometimes sleep on an empty stomach for 3-7 days… on the 7th day, we could be provided with some porridge. You could see your fellow inmate dying in front of you.”
In many regions, the average diet provided in prisons contributes to malnutrition among inmates. Courts in Africa have often expressed concern over the frequency, quantity, and quality of food served in prisons, deeming it cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment. Monitoring prison conditions requires ongoing oversight by parliaments, the judiciary, and national human rights institutions to protect prisoners’ rights.
Take the story of Eric, who was imprisoned at Chichiri Prison in Malawi. He was in good health at the time of admission. Four months after this admission, he fell seriously ill, and the medical personnel noted his significant weight loss. Eric was fed nsima, which is made of maize flour and beans or pigeon peas. He was fed this monotonous meal once every day and sometimes never had this meal at all on days when the prison ran out of stock. He was not fed oil, fats, vegetables, fruits, beef, chicken or eggs. After a few months, Eric was diagnosed with severe malnutrition. Despite being malnourished and having HIV, Eric was referred to what is known as the Basic Care Unit within the Chichiri Prison Clinic. This was allegedly done to supplement his daily meal with sachet-size peanut butter (Chiponde RUTF) donated to Chichiri Prison by private-sector well-wishers. The meal supplements were withdrawn every time Eric’s body weight slightly improved, leading him to suffer further ill health and weight loss, which necessitated his numerous referrals to the Basic Care Unit.
Consuming nsima and pigeon peas or beans once a day would provide for only half of the lowest energy required to maintain a body mass index (BMI) of 17.5 (indicative of a state of mild malnutrition), not considering physical activity or any underlying disease or infection such as HIV or TB. A dietary deficiency of this nature can be fatal. Neither nsima nor beans or pigeon peas can meet a person’s micronutrient requirements without adequate sources of vegetables, fruits, dairy products and animal proteins. The energy shortfall on this daily diet is not compensated for by providing one sachet of RUTF daily. Similarly, poor diets are given to prisoners throughout the region. In Zimbabwe, the daily meal consists of sadza – the same maize meal – and boiled cabbage. In Zambia, the daily meal consists of beans and kapenta (small fish).
There have been reports of severe malnutrition in prisons across the region, including Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Namibia. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the prevalence of severe malnutrition was 24%, and moderate malnutrition was 62% of inmates in Mbuyi Mayi Central Prison. In Goma Prison, in 2023, 14 inmates died in one month from malnutrition, with 90% of all deaths being from malnutrition combined with tuberculosis.
In many SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries, food shortages frequently occur, lasting several days. During these times, prisoners rely on food brought by their families — if it isn’t confiscated by prison warders — and on food shared among inmates. A 2017 study revealed that 95% of prisoners in Malawi experience food insecurity, with 89% classified as severely food insecure. Furthermore, the study found that 62% of prisoners felt compelled to resort to shameful methods to obtain food, such as begging or stealing from fellow inmates. Alarmingly, 81% of prisoners reported that they did not receive meals from outside the prison, relying solely on the food provided by the state. Unfortunately, the reliance of prisoners on state-supplied food is often overlooked in decision-making processes. This was evident when prisons closed to visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic without making additional provisions for feeding the inmates.
Inadequate access to sufficient food can seriously compromise the immune system and lead to nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Individuals who are HIV-positive or suffering from active infections like tuberculosis (TB) require additional energy and nutrients to support their health. For sick prisoners, receiving limited meals can negatively impact their treatment outcomes. This creates a vicious cycle where malnourished prisoners, lacking a balanced diet, find it difficult to recover from illness. Additionally, in some facilities, food deprivation is used as a form of punishment, known as the “punishment diet” or “spare diet”, further exacerbating the problem.
There are positive examples of how prisons have tried to deal with food insecurity. For instance, in 2017, a prison in Mozambique produced 1 tonne of potatoes, which were used in the prison and shared with other prisons. In Botswana, irrigation farming was introduced in 2025 to combat drought impacts on prison farms and ensure consistent prison food production, focusing on sorghum, cowpeas, lablab, and maize. In Tanzania, in 2024, environmentally friendly and cost-effective stoves designed to operate using alternative charcoal and minimal firewood were introduced in 126 prisons. In 2024, Mauritius introduced a fish processing plant at one of its prisons. Hydroponic systems have further improved food security in a female prison in Namibia.
While these initiatives are essential, they do not always ensure prisoners receive a varied and nutritious diet. Prison oversight visits and investigations into prison conditions should not be limited to simply tasting the food provided in prisons. Prison kitchens are often tiny, and prisoners have limited space to eat outside their cells. Cuts in electricity and water also affect food production. These challenges are further exacerbated by climate change, as seen in the impact of storms on prisons in Madagascar. Laws and policies that contribute to an increase in prison populations also significantly affect food access. Systemic food shortages in prisons remain a serious issue that needs to be addressed through adequate budgeting and early identification of shortages and stock-outs.
Parliamentary oversight of prisons must be focused on improving compliance with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).
Anneke Meerkotter, Executive Director, Southern Africa Litigation Centre
