Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Jane Kirii [Front,
3rd R] and Shimo la Tewa women prison staff at Mtwapa on Friday /
BRIAN OTIENO
Shimo la Tewa women prison officer-in-charge Everlyne
Kaliti, Joseline Avilia, Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Jane Kirii and Kenya
Prisons Service director of welfare, sports and rehabilitation Susan Majere at
Mtwapa on Friday / BRIAN OTIENO
Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Jane Kirii
and Sergeant Mwanajuma Bonaya at Mtwapa on Friday / BRIAN OTIENOIn a historic first for the Kenya Prisons Service, more than 80 wardens were recognised for their exemplary performance at an awards gala in Mtwapa.
The staff from Shimo la Tewa Women’s Prison received shopping vouchers, dinner vouchers for five-star hotels, gift hampers, trophies and certificates.
Most of the time, programmes and events within the Kenya Prisons Service are focused on the inmates, but those who work to take care of the inmates are forgotten.
Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Jane Kirii said prison work demands emotional resilience and unwavering dedication.
“Our work by its nature requires teamwork, empathy and innovation. I therefore urge all our officers to embrace the spirit of consultation both among peers and through the chain of command.”
She spoke on Friday during the Shimo la Tewa Women’s Prison staff excellence awards gala in Mtwapa.
Technological training for both prison staff and inmates also plays a significant role in ensuring a better Kenya, she added.
Officer-in-charge Everlyne Kaliti said the idea was born in April.
“Every single day, you walk into prison, you manage complex situations, you mentor and you perform acts of bravery that never make the headlines. You pour your energy into rehabilitation and welfare of our inmates and you do it with utmost professionalism.
“But in our noble mission to focus on our clients, we sometimes forget to focus on each other. We sometimes forget that the hands that secure all also need to be held,” Kaliti said.
She said many of the prison staff feel demoralised, depressed and their immense contribution goes unrecognised.
“Tonight, that changes. We are here to say we see you. We are here to disrupt that culture of silence around appreciation.”
She called on the model to be adopted in other prisons across the country, saying a motivated staff is key to efficient and effective service delivery.
Deputy officer in charge Rachael Gathua said: “Our collective efforts have led to efficient service delivery to our inmates and to the prisons service at large.”
Director of welfare, sports and rehabilitation Susan Majere said reforms in the KPS have seen inmates' and wardens' welfare improve over the years.
“Prison work is very stressful. So, sometimes when we have these opportunities to come here and unwind, it really gives us morale and boosts our ethos,” Majere said.
She said the KPS is headed towards focusing more on prison staff.
“In the past, we have overly concentrated on our inmates. We have brought the programmes. When partners come we usually direct them to help us in training or providing for the inmates to make sure they live comfortably.
“And for a long time, we have forgotten our officers. So, starting this year, we shifted our concentration to our officers and we have trained several of our officers on issues of mental wellness,” Majere said.
Commissioner of Prisons and Shimo la Tewa medium prison officer-in-charge Patrick Kariba said the event inspires other facilities to follow suit.
Tech Kids Africa CEO Paul Akwabi said the women’s facility is also the first correctional institution to be equipped with digital literacy employability skills in the country.
Akwabi said due to the success of the digital skills programme at the prison, other facilities across the country have been calling for the programme to be taken to their inmates too.
“The digital literacy employability skills is about inmates learning robotics, computer maintenance, software installation, computer packages, coding and website development and CCTV installation.
“It helps them to reintegrate much better when they go back to the community and reduces chances of them coming back to the prison as inmates,” Akwabi said.
Joseline Avilia, a friend of the prison and the chair of the committee that planned the awards gala, presented a charter to Kirii to help embrace the initiative, which is meant to appreciate the work of prison wardens across the country.
Avilia said her hope is to have the initiative adopted by other prisons and that it will be an annual event at Shimo la Tewa.
“These awards are meant to motivate and tell you that your work does not go unrecognised. They are meant to send a message that someone sees that you guys are working,” Avilia said.
