Nairobi — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki says his ministry is working with the Judiciary to develop alternative sentencing programs including suspended sentences for petty offenders in a bid to decongest prison facilities in the country.
Speaking Monday during his visit to the Mwea GK Prison in Kirinyaga County, Kindiki acknowledged that overcrowding of prisons in the country was a recipe for disaster hence the need for quick intervention.
"What we are having is disastrous. We have almost double the capacity than our prisons are supposed to hold, and it is not fair," he said.
He committed toa a target of 50 per cent reduction in prison population.
"I want to assure you of my support to make sure that we engage with the judiciary and other stakeholders in the administration of justice to make sure that we reduce congestion in prisons by 50 per cent," he said.
Revised policy framework
Kindiki further stated that the government has initiated and drafted a new correctional services policy for the country which he says is awaiting cabinet approval.
He expressed optimism that the policy will be operationalized in the next few months.
"The policy that will look at our correctional facilities as places of rehabilitation of offenders and supporting them to reintegrate in the society," he said.
The Interior CS further pointed out that the government will also utilize the presidential pardon framework.
Kindiki pointed out that President William Ruto had ordered the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee to compile a list of prisoners eligible for pardon as part of measures to decongest correctional facilities.
"In the coming months, the Head of State will be announcing huge number of inmates to be pardoned," Kindiki said even as he advised prisoners to behave themselves to increase their chances of being released.
The Power of Mercy Advisory Committee is a Constitutional Committee established under Article 133(2) of the Constitution of Kenya and operationalized by the Power of Mercy Act, 2011 with its core mandate to advise His Excellency the President on the exercise of the power of mercy.
Prison welfare
In regard to the welfare of prisoners, Kindiki said that the Government will partner with the private sector to make sure the 'One Prisoner, One bed, One mattress ' initiative is successful.
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Kindiki said that every inmate in the country deserves to be treated with dignity.
The Interior CS who was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Mary Muthoni stated that the government is committed to ensuring every inmate across the country have their own bed and mattress.
"We will source for some money to ensure every Prisoner has two pairs of uniforms. Kitting the inmates will help them live in dignity. We will also provide new uniforms to our prisons staff," he said.
Kindiki stated that the Government is keen to ensure that it upholds the human rights of those being held in the country's prison.
"Prisons should not be hell. It should be a place of reforms and rehabilitation. Most of the inmates are young people and we look forward to you leaving prisons, reformed appropriately, so that you participate in nation building," he said.
He pointed out that the Government takes seriously, reforms in Prisons and other correctional facilities noting that the National Taskforce on Police and Prisons reforms will submit its report later this month which he says the recommendations will help the government execute these reforms.
