INITIATIVE TO DECONGEST KENYA’S PRISONS LAUNCHED

By Nicholas Kigondu and Pili Chimerah

Efforts to decongest the country’s correctional facilities received a boost with the launch of the prisons’ decongestion initiative targeting those within Nairobi region.
The initiative by the judiciary in partnership with the State Department for Correctional Services, to be implemented in two phases, will include a review of bail and bond terms for unconvicted persons with 376 offenders held within the Nairobi region set to benefit.  The second phase will involve the review of sentences at the High Court.
Speaking at the Nairobi Remand and Allocation Maximum Security Prison during the launch of the programme, Chief Justice Martha Koome said judiciary is now placing more emphasis on restorative justice by promoting victim-offender rehabilitation so as to facilitate re-integration of offenders into the society.
“The Judiciary is committed to reviewing sentences, and where appropriate, releasing convicts to perform community service instead of serving time in incarceration. During the last financial year, 2023/2024, the courts reviewed 6,555 sentences. Out of these, 2,918 individuals were deemed suitable for release under community service orders” she noted. 
This even as she called for sustained and strategic efforts that will transform the country’s correctional system into one that reflects the highest standards of justice and human dignity.
“Overcrowded prisons are not conducive to humane living conditions, and without such conditions, the dignity of those incarcerated is compromised. It is imperative that we restore the prison environment to one that supports the rehabilitation of offenders, as this is the only way we can hope to reintegrate them into society as responsible and reformed citizens,” observed Koome.
According to the Chief Justice, petty offenders serving less than 3 months should be placed under Community Service orders instead of serving their term in prison.
“Petty offenders should not be subjected to incarceration, instead they should be diverted to Community Service or alternative sentencing options, that enable them to contribute positively to the society,” she observed.
Speaking during the launch, State Department for Correctional Services principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco said the number of inmates in remands is a great concern adding that the program will aid in addressing the challenge. 
She said the increase in prisoner populations has led to many challenges including acute congestion even as she thanked the Chief Justice for her efforts to transform Kenya’s justice system
“The increase in prisoner populations has led to many challenges including acute congestion, therefore the need to have an urgent and sustainable solution to decongest these facilities cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, the need to have an urgent and sustainable solution to decongest these facilities cannot be overemphasized,” Said the PS. 
Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh said the decongestion exercise will contribute to the humane treatment of offenders and demonstrate a genuine commitment for all to access justice.
Currently, the Prison population stands at 61,000 inmates against a capacity of about 30,000 with high bail and bond terms among factors blamed for contributing to the obtaining situation.