Nairobi — Radical changes introduced two and a half years ago in Kenyan prisons may have given hope to inmates.

The changes have equally been a source of friction and displeasure to some members of the prisons community, particularly the warders.

Prison warders interviewed in the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) study on torture in Kenyan prisons claim the reforms have made inmates rude, with some even hurling abuses at them.

"They feel that since they have their rights, they are allowed to disrespect warders. They forget that we have our rights too," laments one warder.

Another warder claims that some inmates do not want to leave the prisons because they feel like the place is home to them.

"When their time to leave comes, they go for assignments outside the compound so that they are not in when their names are called out to leave the facility," says the warder.

Since assuming the prisons department in 2003 Vice President Mr Moody Awori, has presided over a host of reforms, including allowing inmates access to luxuries like television sets, radios and computers.

The changes, dubbed the Awori reforms, have reportedly heightened the bad blood between the prisoners and the warders, with the latter envying the new fortunes and "luxurious" lifestyles of their captives.

To date, most warders live in squalid conditions, in timber or corrugated iron-sheet walled hovels with no access to clean tap water not to mention the poor sewerage systems. In fact some use buckets for toilets in the same manner as the inmates.

"Some of the inmates even look down upon us because the kind of life we lead is in some cases worse than theirs," laments one warder.

The LRF researchers laud the open door policy relentlessly pursued by the commissioner of prisons, Mr Abraham Kamakil, and supported by Mr Awori, noting that it has, to some extent, addressed the culture of impunity that encouraged torture.

Regarding the torture statistics, one warder explains that the prisoners are largely anxious and that most cannot tell the difference between torture and punishment.