Kenya: VP Names Group to Probe Warders' Complaints
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The Nation (Nairobi)
27 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008
Dominic Wabala
Nairobi
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday appointed his predecessor Moody Awori and former prisons boss Abraham Kamakil to head a committee to investigate prison warders' grievances.
But the warders vowed to continue their strike action and paralyse court operations on Monday.
They said they would work over the weekend and wait for their grievances to be addressed but would resume their protest if they do receive a reply to their grievances by Monday morning.
They threatened to release hardcore criminals under their custody if their demands were not met.
The Vice-President, who had accompanied President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on a peace mission in Rift Valley province, had to cut short the trip and fly back to Nairobi as the situation threatened to get out of control.
He said the government would take appropriate disciplinary action against all those directly involved.
"They will not tolerate armed officers to go on strike. It is not acceptable. Imagine if what happened in the Prisons Service was to happen to police or other disciplined forces. What happened actually amounts to an act of mutiny," Mr Kalonzo said.
But he expressed concern about the management of the prisons, saying that if there had been proper management, the situation would not have arisen. He said that there seemed to be a possibility of serious corruption within the Prisons Service.
The National Security Committee met at the Office of the President on Saturday to discuss the implications of the prison officers strike.
The VP is scheduled to begin touring prisons on Sunday with the first stop at Thika prison.
Mr Kalonzo said the high committee chaired by Mr Awori and consisting of representatives from the ministry of State for Public Service (Department of Personnel Management), Treasury and ministry of Housing would look into the grievances raised and asses all issues related to the performance of the Prisons Services.
It will include former Mr Kamakil, Mr Japeth Masya, former Clerk to the National Assembly), Mr Ben Mutsotso, a University of Nairobi sociology lecturer, Rev Kepha Omae, Sheikh Sharif Hussein, Ms Emily Gatuguta and Mr Davis Chirchir.
The committee, which is scheduled to begin its seatings on Monday, is expected to present its report to the VP's office within a month.
Mr Kalonzo, who was accompanied by his PS Dr. Ludeki Chweya, said the committee would investigate the possibility of serious corruption. He said earlier that some of the issues raised, especially regarding housing, were genuine and would be addressed in the second phase of the prison reforms.
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