The Kenya prisons service has said it will continue welcoming all donors and partners willing to offer support of any kind to its correctional facilities in the country.
Rift valley prisons regional commander Aggrey Onyango said the correctional support being offered to the prisoners and remandees was not a solitary duty but that which involves all stakeholders from the society at large hence the need for the close collaboration.
While commending the various non-governmental organizations for the goodwill support it has continued to offer, Onyango observed that with their interventions the prisons service has managed to surmount the usual challenges which they encounter.
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“This is not a business of one individual but that of everyone in the society that is why we encourage all stakeholders and partners to come on board and help us in molding these detainees,” Onyango said.
He also disclosed that the service was in the process of forming a committee to guide and determine on the kind of support required by particular prisons in the country.
He pointed out that with various organizations keen on supporting them there was need for a clear structure to be developed so that they can understand the needs of a particular prison hence avoid replication in terms of the support they are willing to provide.
“When we make our partners aware of it will be of great benefit to us all rather than anyone coming with anything just because they are not acquainted with what is needed at that particular time,” he stated
Onyango made the remarks at the Bomet GK prison during the closure of a beds project by Faraja foundation launched in May this year.
He was accompanied by Bomet prison officer in charge Tanaka Kebwaro among other senior officers.
The non-governmental organization donated 2, 168 double decker beds to all women’s prisons across the country in its initiative aimed at ensuring all women offenders live decent lives at the facilities.
The organization’s Jane Kuria said their main achievement was that all women and children no longer sleep on the floors as it has been the case, something she said has seen the diseases such as pneumonia being reduced.
“Cases where convicts contract diseases just because they lack the basic bedding facilities are now a thing of the past and that is our main success,” she stated.
She further revealed that moving forward they are going to a launch program aimed at reintegrating those released from the prison so that they lead good lives back in the society while at the same time conducting capacity building for the officers.
On his part, the foundation’s chairman David Bett echoed the sentiment saying prisoners and especially women and young girls serving sentences are vulnerable and require special support.
“We shall continue providing more support to the wrongdoers who have been released and including the prisons facilities because we know when they are not received well in the society they might come,” Bett remarked.
