Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has said there is a plan to decongest prisons in the country.
Kindiki was speaking at Mwea Prison in Kirinyaga County on Monday, while inspecting ongoing reforms.
"We will partner with the private sector and well wishers to ensure that in the next few months every prisoner in this country will have one bed and one mattress," Kindiki said.
The CS said the government aims to modernise correctional facilities.
" In five years, there will be a great improvement in the welfare of our prisoners, remandees, and prison officers," the CS said.
He said the ministry must do its best to decongest the prisons by 50 per cent.
Kindiki said the ministry will engage the Judiciary and other stakeholders to facilitate the decongestion of prisons.
The CS recognised that prisoners are taught technical skills therein.
He noted that the workshop for the Mwea Prison was not in good shape.
"For that reason, I want to announce that we will be providing Mwea Prison and other prisons across the country with modern workshop equipment to the tune of Sh1 billion," he said.
Kindiki said the move will help make sure prisons are a place for rehabilitation, empowerment and preparation for reintegration back to society.
Kindiki said mechanisation of prison farms to boost food production, addressing prisons staff welfare and reviewing archaic laws on correctional facilities rank top in the reforms package.
This comes as the Economic Survey 2023 revealed that the total number of inmates increased from 160,121 in 2021 to 169,579 in 2022.
