Prison reforms too expensive

• Madoka committee’s proposals will take longer to implement, PS now admits

The government does not have enough money to fully implement proposed prison reforms.

As a result, most of the recommendations of the Madoka Committee could be delayed further while some may never see the light of day.

Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent secretary Dr Ludeki Chweya said on Tuesday the reforms required colossal amounts of money which Treasury could not meet in the short term.

Dr Chweya was speaking at the Nairobi remand and allocation prison in industrial area during the graduation of 40 inmates who received certificates in computer and fine arts.

The PS was accompanied by Commissioner of Prisons Isaiah Osugo and the officer in charge of the jail Pauline Ngara.

“Prison reforms started last year following the release of the Madoka report,” said Dr Chweya, “But some need a lot of money which we do not have.”

“In the meantime, we have started implementing the recommendations that do not require a lot of resources. We have availed blankets and mattresses, tissue papers and soaps to the inmates,” he added.

A committee chaired by former Mwatate MP Marsden Madoka recommended radical reforms for the Prisons Department including better houses and terms of service for warders.

The committee was set up by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka following prison warders’ industrial action countrywide last year that paralysed jails and interfered with court processes.

The PS said the reforms would require more time to realise. “We usually receive funds from the Treasury that fall way below our budget but we are managing with the little we get,” he said.

According to Mr Osugo, prisons spend Sh1.8 billion annually on food alone.

Dr Chweya said the cholera outbreak, which killed nine inmates at Kamiti prison, had been contained.

Tuesday’s graduands included Russel Otieno and Robinson Mukanga who won awards in fine arts in the 2008/09 2nd International Art Contest for Prisoners organised by the International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral Care.