Kenya’s lawmakers have put the country’s correctional service on notice, demanding swift answers on filthy living conditions, murky finances, and a surge of fraud schemes hatched behind bars.
Appearing before the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), Commissioner General Patrick Aranduh was pressed on whether the Persons Deprived of Liberty Act is working as intended – or being ignored.
Embakasi Central MP Mejja Donk Benjamin also led calls for an immediate audit of the Appropriations-in-Aid (AiA) account. Legislators want a line-by-line account of how revenue earned by prison workshops, farms, and canteens is spent.
Rehabilitation or exploitation?
Committee chair Eric Karemba asked the prisons chief to spell out the legal basis for inmate labour. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Mulanya argued that, handled properly, prisoner work could boost the economy.
“Prisoners could be productive assets. China uses them to build the economy but equips them with skills. What’s your policy framework?” he asked.
Aranduh replied that every parcel of prison land is currently in use and that inmates work “for rehabilitation, not production.” A draft Correctional Services Bill – now before Parliament -promises a clearer labour regime, he added.
| Issue | What MPs Want | CGP’s Response |
|---|---|---|
| Prison revenue (AiA) | Full forensic audit | Promised to supply figures |
| Inmate labour | Clear legal framework; skills-based work | Awaiting new Correctional Services Bill |
| Phone-run scams | Tech monitoring, stronger controls | Acknowledged problem, no plan given |
| Overcrowding | Redistribution of inmates, broader reforms | Talks under way with Judiciary |
| Conditions (uniforms, allowances) | Regular clothing supply; hardship pay for officers | Budget constraints cited |
Scams and overcrowding top security fears
Tiaty MP William Kamket sounded the alarm over phone-based cons traced to jail cells. “The scamming is rampant and damaging public trust. What concrete measures are in place to stop this?” he demanded.
The prisons boss conceded the problem but offered few specifics, prompting MPs to push for tech-driven monitoring and tighter internal controls.
On congestion, Aranduh said talks with the Judiciary could see low-risk offenders shifted to ease pressure, though deeper reforms were needed.
“Prisoners in tatters, officers in hardship”
Maragua’s Mary Wamaua painted a bleak picture of threadbare uniforms and officers posted to remote camps with no allowances. Aranduh admitted budget limits mean not every inmate gets new clothing each year, and hardship pay is tied to strict Public Service rules.
Deputy Commissioner General Jane Kiiri closed the session by citing slow-but-steady reforms drawn from the Moody Awori report. “Before any transformation, we must first address inmates’ criminogenic needs. Rehabilitation must be rooted in readiness,” she said.
The grilling ended with lawmakers vowing to keep the heat on until prisons become safer, cleaner, and more transparent.
