Abstract:

Stakeholder engagement has become an essential component of organisational transformation within public sector institutions, particularly in complex environments such as correctional systems. Contemporary correctional reforms increasingly emphasize collaboration among institutional actors, communities, government agencies, civil society organizations, inmates, and development partners to support rehabilitation and reintegration objectives. This paper examines the contribution of stakeholder engagement to the reformative change management process within the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS). The findings reveal that stakeholder engagement positively contributes to reformative change by improving communication, resource mobilisation, rehabilitation support, and institutional legitimacy. However, stakeholder participation within ZPCS remains fragmented, inconsistently institutionalized, and constrained by resource limitations, bureaucratic structures, and uneven collaboration mechanisms. The paper concludes that sustainable correctional reform requires inclusive stakeholder participation frameworks, collaborative governance structures, institutional transparency, and long-term partnerships.