Govt seeking low-cost sources of food and energy for prisons

Josephta Oyiela Mukobe, principal secretary in the Interior Ministry, with prison officers when she visited Meru GK Prison on November 20, 2014. She said the government is looking for cost-effective ways of running prisons. PHOTO | DAVID MUCHUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Principal Secretary Josephta Oyiela Mukobe says most prisons have been facing challenges from huge water and electricity bills.
  • She was speaking at the Meru GK Prison Thursday during a tour of prisons in the upper eastern region.
  • She said that the Prison Department will be taking advantage of concentrated population of persons in correctional facilities to put up biogas systems.
  • A biogas system is already being set up at the Meru GK Prison in a bid to cut costs on fuel and electricity.

The government is looking into cost effective sources of energy and food in prisons to help reduce the cost of running the correctional facilities.

According to Ms Josephta Oyiela Mukobe, the principal secretary for the State Department of Coordination in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, most prisons have been facing challenges from huge water and electricity bills hence the need to seek a lasting solution.

She was speaking at the Meru GK Prison Thursday during a tour of prisons in the upper eastern region.

She was accompanied by Commissioner of Prisons Isaiah Osugo.

“We want our prisons to also contribute to national development through rehabilitation of prisoners.

We also want to see how we can help reduce the expenditure on food, electricity, water and fuel in prisons. There is need for alternative sources that are cheaper.

It is becoming impossible to get fuel wood in the country even as we seek to encourage environmental conservation,” Ms Mukobe said.

BIOGAS SYSTEMS

She said that the Prison Department will be taking advantage of concentrated population of persons in correctional facilities to put up biogas systems from human and animal waste to save on fuel and lighting.

A biogas system is already being set up at the Meru GK Prison in a bid to cut costs on fuel and electricity.

The PS noted that several facilities have suffered electricity and water disconnection due to high amounts of unpaid bills.

“I urge prison officers to make good use of the land at their disposal to help supplement what the government is doing.

“We want to produce enough such that we should not waste any land or useful facility in the prison. The inmates should be well engaged to add value to their lives and the country,” she said.

POLICE HOUSING PROJECT

Ms Mukobe further said that the government is constructing 25,000 housing units for police officers out of which prison officers will get 5,000 units to improve their welfare.

Mr Isaiah Osugo said that the government is also putting up more facilities in Tharaka and Chuka to decongest Meru Prison.

“The construction of prison facilities is ongoing in Tharaka-Nithi County.

“Currently, suspects on remand as well as those sentenced to serve prison terms in Chuka and Marimanti law courts have to be ferried to Meru GK Prison.

“The construction is 60 per cent complete and we expect them to be operational next year,” Mr Osugo said.

He also said that the facilities are meant to take services closer to the people as well as cut costs on transportation of suspects and convicts.