Inmates at the Mombasa Remand Prison in King’orani, famously known as Jela Baridi, on Saturday were treated to a party for Christmas.
One would have been forgiven for thinking it was an entertainment joint as the inmates, full of joy, were treated to song, dance, and food.
The normal ugali and beans were substituted with delicious pilau, chapatis, meat stew, and green grams.
Wardens also feasted on the same as King’s Daughters, a group of church women, preached to the inmates.
They also had refreshments like juice and buns, and they showed their acting, dancing and poetry skills with skits, narratives and solo verses being recited.
The inmates, according to prison warders, were being rewarded for their discipline in the facility, which has also seen some remarkable transformation over the last two years under officer-in-charge John Kanyamuok.
Big Daddy, as Kanyamuok is popularly referred to in the facility, has overseen the construction of a new kitchen to replace the old one which was leaking and dilapidated.
“In the past, when we cooked porridge, and it rains, be sure the porridge would mix with dirty water from the gutters.
“But since Big Daddy came in, we have a new kitchen and his strictness about hygiene has seen cases of diarrhea reduce to almost nil,” said an officer who sought anonymity.
The officers now have their own blocks where they sleep during the night when off duty and the senior officers now have decent offices where they can receive guests.
Big Daddy, according to officers who spoke to the Star, has a unique style of leadership that has seen uniquely endeared him to the inmates.
“From what we gather from the sessions we have had at Jela Baridi, his relationship with the inmates and the outside world make it easier to approach him when faced with difficulty,” said Human Rights Agenda officer Anthony Maganga.
Maganga and Prosecutor Rosemary Karanja, who were guests at the Jela Baridi party on Saturday, said being in prison does not mean one ceases to be a human being who deserves love and care.
“The love and care he shows the inmates is baffling. He says they are his brothers, fathers, sons and relatives,” said Maganga.
On Saturday, the Star witnessed Big Daddy mingling freely with the inmates, who were smiling and cracking jokes with him.
Save for the uniform, one would find it difficult to distinguish between the officer-in-charge and the inmates.
Through his social skills, he has been able to attract friends to help refurbish the facility, the Star has learnt.
On Saturday, for example, several corporates chipped in to make the day a success.
Mombasa Cement provided the juices and buns that the inmates enjoyed.
The company also provides 600 buns to the facility daily.
Bread maker Superloaf supplies 100 loaves of bread every Friday that the inmates enjoy.
Others who made Christmas a success to the inmates at Jela Baridi include Grain Bulk Handlers, Kitui Maize Millers, Bandari Sacco, Port Sacco, KCB Kilindini and Mvita branches, Cooperative Bank and Ajab.
On Saturday, Maganga said up to 90 per cent of those in remand or prison are usually innocent but end up being jailed because they do not know how to defend themselves.
He said alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are key in ensuring prison facilities are decongested and the backlog of court cases are reduced.
“I usually believe not all the time that when one does something against the law they must be taken through the justice system.
“There are many ways to resolve issues including out-of-court settlement,” said Maganga.
He said Huria will from January embark on a public interest litigation program that will see the organization use the Strategic Litigation Funds to represent those who cannot afford representation.
“We will look at cases with pressing legal needs so that we can have those involved represented in their cases,” said Maganga.
He said Huria will also work to bring in international partners who will be able to fund such programs so that as many people who are needy are able to get access to legal services.
The organization will also start a campaign to push for the decriminalization of petty offenses so as to reduce congestion in remand prisons.
“Facilities like these are full of people with petty offenses which would easily have been resolved without going through the justice system,” said Maganga.
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