New Prisons chief should boost reforms
The change of guard at the Kenya Prisons Service is a welcome opportunity to revitalise and inject some new vigour into the ongoing reforms in this key sector. New Commissioner-General Patrick Mwiti Aranduh is upbeat about his new responsibility, and is promising to focus his energies on ensuring synergy leadership.
Looking after the inmates and effectively helping in their rehabilitation is a worthwhile mission. However, while the population of inmates is at 62,000, the holding capacity is for only 30,000 prisoners.
While the priority is caring for inmates, the plight of those who provide this valuable service of reforming the convicts should not be neglected. Sadly, though, this is the case, what with substandard housing at most prisons countrywide.
The completion of 28,000 houses should go some way in easing the acute shortage that in a way undermines the officers' performance. The biggest reform effort in recent years is the implementation of the recommendations of a task force that was led by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
The Maraga-led team raised a number of concerns ranging from inadequate funding, low pay, corruption, ineffective leadership, and poor housing to the overcrowding in the prisons. Corruption is a key challenge that permeates recruitment, deployment and transfers and procurement.
Nepotism has also been flagged in employment. Collusion between rogue officers and prisoners in a phone scam, fraud, petty trade and drug trafficking are some of the rampant scourges.
There is, therefore, a need to have things done properly to promote a culture of integrity in the service by fully implementing the reform recommendations.
