By Nelson Musungu
Principal Secretary (PS) state department Dr. Salome Wairimu has announced that the government has taken bold steps to improving infrastructure in the prison departments.
Speaking to the press at Bungoma GK Prisons on Friday, PS Wairimu affirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading all prison infrastructures to enhance service delivery for both inmates and correctional officers
Wairimu highlighted that the Ministry has taken a proactive stance, with top officials now stepping out of their offices to interact directly with staff and stakeholders, ensuring that development initiatives align with actual needs on the ground
“As senior officers, we no longer remain behind desks, we are out in the field, listening and engaging directly with those on the ground,” she said. “We’re gathering input from our officers and local stakeholders about the development projects they truly need, so we can determine where to step in and enhance their livelihoods.”
The PS added that the ministry has ensured that there is a lot of facelift in all offices this coming financial year
“The CS Murkomen is also on his tours and the ministry is committed to ensure that all the offices are taking new shape so that our officers work from a conducive environment,” she added
Wairimu commended the green environment at Bungoma Prison, noting that it aligns with the Presidential directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
“The President directed that we plant 15 billion trees by 2032, and the prison service is no exception,” she said. I am here to ensure that this directive is being implemented, and as you can see, the environment here is lush and well-maintained which is truly commendable.”
Wairimu said that the inmates are not exceptional to enjoy universal health services offered through social health authority (SHA)
As a department we have put in measures to ensure that the inmates are registered to SHA and as of today I have confirmed that at Bungoma GK prisons 50% of the inmates are registered and we are still pushing and in the next six months all will be registered,” she said
The PS said that the department is facing challenges during registration as some of the inmates don’t have identification cards slowing the registration process
“We have challenges during registration of these inmates to SHA as some of them do not have identification cards, however we have partnered with the department of registration of persons and immigration to make sure that all receive the cards for easier registration,” she added
PS acknowledged that this year the GK prisons will harvest maximum yields in the agriculture sector as they highly invested in their farms with the subsided fertilizer from the government
For the first time in decades GK prisons will have a bumper harvest of maize, wheat potatoes and sunflower,” she said. “Kenya prisons for the first time in history of Kenya will produce salad oil for use at the prisons services this year.”
The PS noted that the government is committed to make sure that the male prisons are equipped with beds like those of the female counterparts
“we want to make sure that all our inmates live in dignity, we adopted the he-he triple décor bed campaign in may to make sure that male prisons are equipped with beds just like that of female prisons, the idea is to restore human dignity to all our inmates.” She emphasized
Wairimu also called on collaboration between the GK prisons services, national government administration officers (NGAO) and the probation services to ensure good service delivery to those serving non custodial sentences
She called on the public to in cooperate those who have been rehabilitated in the society by giving them jobs as per the skills they acquired while at the correction facility
The event was also graced by Bungoma County Commissioner Thomas Sankei, County government officers and high ranking officers from the state department of correctional services
