In a significant move aimed at enhancing living conditions for prison officers, the government has unveiled 100 newly completed housing units at Shimo la Tewa GK Prison.
Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco presided over the ceremony.
Speaking during the event, Beacco highlighted the government's commitment to ensuring all officers reside within prison premises.
Beacco emphasised the government's aim to have modern affordable housing units in the country through the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
She disclosed that the State Department aims at constructing 28,000 houses across the country.
The State Department, she said, will also be part of the housing transformations.
“We want to see how progressively we can improve the houses for the prison officers,” she said.
She said public participation for the officers will be put into consideration to ensure comfort for them through providing recommendations on the types of housing units they would prefer.
“ We will include public participation for the officers to determine which types of houses they request," Beacco said.
She also emphasised on the importance of a whole of Government approach, where correctional has partnered with the Ministry of Housing to ensure this is possible and actioned.
Through BETA, the PS said, the State Department has started the modernisation of prison industries and mechanisation of prison farms so that the offenders can be efficiently trained with up-to-date skills to increase production.
The government through the State Department is also planning to recruit more Prison Officers in phases so that security within the Correctional facilities can be improved further.
Later in the day, the PS visited Kwale Probation Station, Kwale Main and Women Prisons where she asked officers to abscond from corruption in delivering of their mandates.
While addressing officers at the correctional facilities, she touched on financial management and urged them to leave within their means.
“I encourage you to manage finances and family well,” she said.
The State Department, she retaliated, is focusing on improving the welfare of both officers and inmates through directions by the Maraga report recommendation.
While addressing the inmates, the PS promised to fast-track cases through the Judiciary, so as to reduce caseloads which will also aid in decongesting prisons.