Maseme Machuka and Standard Team
29 April 2008
Nairobi — A death row convict at Kamiti Maximum Prison was shot when inmates attempted to escape.
Sources said about 700 prisoners at the strongly guarded facility had boycotted work in the morning.
Wardens manning the watchtowers raised an alarm when the prisoners turned rowdy and started marching towards the perimeter fence.
The prison tuned into a battlefield as wardens moved to contain the situation.
Gates to Block G that houses the death row convicts was brought down.
An activist from Kenya National Human Rights Commission, Ms Florence Simbiri, pleads with warders at Kamiti Maximum Prison to let them in.
Earlier, wardens had shouted at the Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Gilbert Omondi, who was addressing them.
"Tunataka pesa zetu. We want the pay for manning elections and post-election crisis," said a warder.
Said Omondi: "I have heard your pleas. I will address them urgently. Please, resume your duties now".
Speaking after a meeting with senior officers, Omondi said a compromise had been reached. But some wardens vowed to continue with the strike.
Kenya National Human Right Commission Vice-Chairperson, Ms Florence Simbiri, also met senior officers.
Elsewhere, 21 hardcore prisoners have been transferred from Naivasha Prison to Meru. This follows claims that striking warders are plotting to release inmates.
The remandees were received at Meru Prison on Saturday.
A source said after warders in Naivasha went on strike, authorities planned to move hardcore criminals to prisons yet to be affected by the strike.
However, the deputy officer in charge, Mr Isaac Muriungi, denied the transfers had anything to do with the strike. He said the prisoners were required to attend court cases in Meru.
In Keruguya, the local police station was congested as warders turned away suspects. Officers who took suspects from the courts to the prison were turned away.
The Presbyterian Church of East Africa defended striking warders and asked the Government not to treat their case as mutiny.
Church Moderator, Dr David Githii, said the warders had a genuine case.
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