Photo: EA Standard

Inmates at the Meru Prison, which was built to accommodate 350 but now has more than 1,450 prisoners.

Nairobi — President Mwai Kibaki on Friday pardoned 6,700 prisoners to ease congestion in Kenya's penal institutions.

A statement from State House in Nairobi said that the president was acting on a recommendation to release selected inmates of various categories.

Among those released are 2,850 petty or minor offenders of good conduct that are serving sentences of six months and below.

Others were 2,586 first offenders that are of good conduct with a balance sentence of nine months or less to serve.

Another 1,277 ordinary prisoners of good conduct with a balance sentence of nine months or less to serve will also be released.

Others who have benefited from the decree are 37 prisoners aged 65 years and above and confirmed terminally ill.

"I Mwai Kibaki, President and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by section 27 of the Old Constitution read together with Article 133 of the new constitution and the provisions relating to suspension of provisions of the new constitution under the Sixth Schedule, clause 2(1)(c) do hereby grant to the said: Remission of the unexpired portion of their sentences," read a dispatch from State House.