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Government suspends prison visits by another 30 days

The ban was first imposed after Kenya confirmed its first Covid-19 case on March 13.

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by SHARON MAOMBO

Covid-1905 April 2020 - 15:05
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In Summary


  • • The ban was initially meant to last for 30 days. This would have come to an end on April 11.
  • • Currently, no visits are allowed in the 107 facilities among them prison lines, borstal institutions, and youth corrective training institutions, better known as approved schools.
Inmates at Industrial Area remand prison

The government has extended the suspension of prison visits by 30 days in a bid to tame the further spread of the coronavirus.

The extension was announced by Transport CS James Macharia during the daily Covid-19 briefing on Sunday at Afya House.

The latest directive comes on the day Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi announced Kenya confirmed additional 16 coronavirus cases.

 
 

This now brings the country's total number to 142 with four fatalities.  

The government imposed a ban on all prison visits after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Kenya on March 13.

The ban was initially meant to last for 30 days. This would have come to an end on April 11.

Currently, no visits are allowed in the 107 facilities among them prison lines, borstal institutions, and youth corrective training institutions, better known as approved schools.

The about 54,000 inmates and pre-trial remandees will be allowed only necessary movement.

This means they will spend fewer hours in the open spaces and in the farmlands.

The Prisons Department earlier this week has directed warders to limit movement within the facilities and placed those who live outside on leave to contain the coronavirus. 

 

Motorcycle operators have also been banned from the facilities while warders' family members who work outside the prisons have also been told to stay at home.

A notice from the Prisons headquarters directed medical staff to visit all penal institutions and establish if a total lockdown had been effected.

The notice further ordered the officers to contain their children within their houses.


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