Prison warders in Eldoret still live is mud houses after a Sh500 million project stalled eight years ago.
The construction of the houses began in 2009 and were to be completed the following year.
Because of the delay, the dilapidated mud houses flood during heavy rain.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago on Tuesday urged the government to intervene and complete the housing project at
Eldoret Prison.
He said the poor houses are a shame, yet the officers perform an important task for the nation.
“The promise of putting up better houses for officers is dragging on for too long, yet they are suffering,” Mandago said.
“We cannot expect prison officers to work effectively when they live in inhuman conditions,” he said at the prison.
The governor toured the site with Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Alfred Cheruiyot and Deputy Governor
Daniel Chemno.
Mandago said the contractor should be given money to complete the houses.
The governor and his deputy proposed that the vast prison land and human resources be used to improve services and facilities.
“The farm can be used to produce food for prisoners and staff. The surplus can be sold to generate an income,” Mandago said.
He urged government ministries to buy furniture from prisons, since it is of high quality.
Most prison
warders in the country live in deplorable conditions and this compromises
their performance.
Domestic issues are rife, because many of the officers share a single room. Married couples lack privacy and suffer the indignity of nosy neighbours.
There has been much talk about prison reforms in the country and a lot of money has been used, but proper housing remains a
distant dream.
