Prisons will partner with corporates to enhance the rehabilitation of inmates and their reconciliation with the society after completion of their sentences.
The Principal Secretary State Department of Correctional Services Salome Wairimu said the initiative is aimed at enhancing the environment for inmates' rehabilitation in prisons as well as equipping them with relevant skills to be independent after serving their terms.
The PS spoke at Thika Women Prisons on Thursday while receiving a donation of 1,500 mattresses and 500 blankets from the KCB Foundation, in a programme dubbed "one prisoner-one bed-one mattress initiative."
Wairimu noted that prisoners in the 135 prisons across the country are in need of assistance with vital life-changing knowledge and skills.
The skills include financial literacy as well as other industrial training like knitting and tailoring among others.
“We are urging our development partners to assist in creating a better environment for inmates. Like here in Thika, they can aid in installing cabros, tiling and equipping inmates with skills so that they can be independent upon completion of their jail terms,” the PS said.
At the same time, the PS noted that the government is keen on improving the welfare of prison staff saying that it is ready to implement the recommendation by the taskforce on police reforms led by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
“We are waiting for the taskforce recommendations and we will try and implement them because we are keen on improving the welfare of our prisons staff," she said.
"I am also happy to note that our prison bosses are proactive and have taken the lead role in improving the welfare of inmates and the staff."
On the relocation of prison facilities with Central Business Districts across the country, Wairimu said that the government will weigh the pros and cons of the move before embarking on the same.
“We are looking at it with the government but at this time we are focused on improving the environment of the facilities and when that time comes we shall interrogate the pros and cons of doing that and we shall be guided by the government,” she said.
KCB Foundation official Samuel Ng’ang’a noted that the Foundation has introduced the 2jiajiri skills empowerment model at Thika Women’s Prison, in a move that will see women receive technical training and skilling in bakery and embroidery work.
Ng’ang’a said that the inmates will also receive financial literacy and business development services, as well as toolkits to support the women in setting up their enterprises, as they work towards reintegration.
“Our goal is to empower the women in prison to be self-reliant and enable them to support their families in support of their rehabilitation back into society," he said.
"The pilot programme will inform the roll-out of the initiative to the rest of the other women's prisons countrywide.
“I am glad to note that the 2jiajiri programme supports several of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals including - Goal 1 - no poverty, goal 3 - good health and well-being, goal 4-quality education, goal 5-gender and equality and goal 8 - decent work and economic growth."