Grammy Award nominee, Zomba Prison Music Project, did the country proud by becoming the first group to get a nomination for Malawi after 57 years.
The group, which was nominated in the category of Best World Music Album for their album titled I Have No Everything Here, however missed the award on February 15, 2016. The award went to Benin born singer Angelique Kidjo for her album titled Sings.
But despite not winning the award, Acting Commissioner of Malawi Prisons Services (MPS), Little Mtengano said the band did Malawi proud hence the inmate members need to be pardoned for their international recognition.
The band has 17 members, including five warders.
Immediately after the announcement that the band did not win the 2016 Grammy Award, Mtengano pleaded with government to pardon the band members.
“At least we [the prison band] have put Malawi on the world map, and the best reward to them [prisoners] is an amnesty to go home and enjoy with the family,” Mtengano said.
But the Acting Commissioner noted that only the president has the power to pardon prisoners.
He said the local and international fame they gained for just being nominated can be compensated with pardons.
According to MPS, Spokesperson, Smart Maliro, most for the band members were convicted of theft.
The band’s Grammy nomination has put Zomba Prison Music Project, which started long time ago, in the limelight and has seen even the international media following their steps.
President Peter Mutharika says he has not been notified if the behaviour of the Malawian prison band members deserves pardoning.
But despite this, President Peter Mutharika is yet to be notified if the behaviour of the inmate band members deserves pardoning.
His spokesperson, Gerald Viola said: “The best person who can have a say on that one is the spokesperson for the Malawi government, who is also Minister of Information, Jappie Mhango not the president.”
Viola said the president only receives names of inmates that have performed wonderfully and deserves pardoning adding that “the president on his own cannot decide who [he] should pardon.”
However, Mhango referred The Daily Times to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.
Commenting on the matter, secretary for the ministry, Bestone Chisamile said that appeal need to be forwarded to the ministry in a formal way.
“The pardoning of prisoners has got laid criteria and the pardoning powers are vested in the Presidency. So it has got to be a formal submission and we will look into the criteria for pardoning,” said Chisamile.
The prison band’s 20 -track album, I Have No Everything Here, was recorded in 2013 by American producer Ian Brenner, who later gave it international exposure.
Apart from Kidjo, the album competed with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Gilberto Gil and Anoushka Shankar in the category.
Zomba Prison Band Music Project last week also received two guitars from MultiChoice Malawi as well as a Certificate of Achievement for their Grammy nomination.
MultiChoice Malawi also treated some of the members of the prison band to a dinner.
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