Govt to build over 5,000 houses for warders

Correctional Services Principal Secretary Micah Powon (in a suit), Commissioner General of Prisons Isaiah Osugo (center) and other senior officers inspect wardens' houses at Nakuru GK Main Prison on January 21, 2016. Better houses will be constructed for warders. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said the programme has began in Ruiru, Shimo la Tewa and Kamiti prisons and will extend to other facilities by 2018.
  • Mr Osugo said the plan will help address shortage of staff houses that has forced most officers to rent houses outside their working stations.

The national government will build more than 5,000 decent houses for the Kenya Prison Service staff in a bid to improve their living conditions.

Commissioner General of Prisons Isaiah Osugo said the project, which will take three years, is afoot and will benefit officers manning correction and rehabilitation facilities across the country.

Addressing prisons staff during the opening of a temporary women's wing at Mwingi GK Prison, Mwingi Central, on Friday, the prisons boss said the Jubilee government is very committed in providing acceptable living standards for wardens and other staff.

“The President himself is very serious about the housing programme. The government is determined to ensure you have decent houses inside the prison premises so that you can be comfortable as you work," he said.

He added that houses for inmates will also be constructed.

He said the programme has began in Ruiru, Shimo la Tewa and Kamiti prisons and will extend to other facilities by 2018.

“We are going to do decent houses, both two and three-bedroom units which will enable our officers accommodate their families,” he said.

Mr Osugo said the plan will help address shortage of staff houses that has forced most officers to rent houses outside their working stations.

The Prison boss said about 1,500 units will be completed by the end of this financial year, adding that Mwingi GK Prison will get 50 units.

He also lauded the move by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Mashujaa Day to pardon, by power of mercy, 7,000 prisoners.

He said the decision has saved more than Sh400 million as well as decongest prisons.

“This has reduced the cost of maintaining prisoners and the pressure of using the few facilities that we have in our prisons,” Mr Osugo said.

He said the prison department decided to open the wing for female prisoners at Mwingi GK Prison since female convicts and remands from Mwingi, Migwani and Kyuso Law courts have been going to Kitui Women Prison.

“We will soon make this facility fully operational so that we can have female prisoners here and even enable those who will be remanded to operate from here,” he said.

He was accompanied by Coast Region Commander James Kodieny and Eastern Region Commander Duncan Ogore.