• Kenya Prisons Service to construct affordable rental housing for officers nationwide.
•Malindi prison to be expanded to meet the demand. the prison serves six courts and is congested.
The Kenya Prisons Services plans to build affordable rental housing for officers countrywide.
Housing is part of the reforms that provide house allowances.
Commissioner General of Prison Wyclif Ogalo said their housing units will be cheaper and help officers get alternative accommodation.
Speaking after touring the Malindi GK Prison, the Kenya Prisons boss said the government also plans to meet space demands of inmates.
"We have plans of coming up with staff houses within facilities where our officers can stay and pay economic house rent,’’ Ogalo said.
He said Malindi Prison deserves to be expanded because he number of courts it handles has increased from one in 1974 when it was established to six today.
Apart from handling inmates from the six courts, he said they also transfer inmates from other prisons to the facility as one way of managing them.
‘‘So far I would say the reforms underway are optimum. We will never stop at that, we want to improve standards because it’s not static,’’ he said.
Ogalo said Malindi GK Prisons has a large catchment area which also requires the government to expand the facility.
"The country aims to ensure the rehabilitation and reforms are handled in such a way that inmates can have justice in a way that is not seen torturous but an opportunity for them to reform.
‘‘Our aim is to ensure that their stay here can contribute to the well-being of the communities and the country at large," where they come from,’’ he said.