CLEAN : Zimbabwe pardons 3,000 prisoners to clear packed jails

The transcript discusses an individual's arrest in 2020 on charges related to their political party. The person was sentenced to 20 years, highlighting issues of prison overcrowding, with current numbers exceeding capacity.

What does the phrase 'decongestant of the present' suggest in the context of the text?

What is the significance of the number 17,000 mentioned in the text?