No Jail for Some Offenders? Parliament Passes Community Service Bill | Matters Arising

Parliament has passed the Community Service Bill, 2026, introducing community service as an alternative sentence for people convicted of specified minor offences. The new law establishes a National Community Service Secretariat to oversee non-custodial sentencing, with the aim of reducing prison overcrowding, promoting offender rehabilitation, and encouraging restorative justice instead of short-term imprisonment. The Bill now awaits presidential assent before it takes effect. #mattersarising