The government has lifted the four-year ban on prison visitation, allowing thousands of inmates to reunite with their families. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithire Kindiki announced the decision, stating that starting next month, families would have the opportunity to visit their loved ones in prison at least once every six months.
The ban on prison visitations was initially implemented in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and despite the containment of the virus, the ban has persisted. During a visit to Naivasha GK prison, Kindiki emphasised that, with the pandemic now in the past, inmates could reconnect with their families.
“We have lifted the ban on prison visitation, and from now henceforth, families will get a chance to visit the inmates,” he stated.
Kindiki commended the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in prisons and expressed the government’s commitment to reducing congestion by 50 percent. He mentioned plans to establish a prisoner’s enterprise fund, aimed at providing support to inmates upon their release.
“This fund will assist inmates with a start-up kit and a small grant, which will help them reintegrate with the community once they are released,” he explained.
The CS expressed concern about the high number of elderly prisoners and highlighted the role of the Power of Mercy Commission in addressing their plight.
“We can use the power of mercy to address congestion in prisons, mainly targeting the elderly and those inmates who have served long sentences,” he said.
During the visit, Kindiki inaugurated the Naivasha GK prison maize milling plant, capable of milling 100 bags of maize every day. He revealed plans to launch similar milling plants across the country as part of empowering prisons and enabling inmates to process their own food.
The officer in charge of the prison, Hassan Tari, stated that the institution, the largest in the country, housed over 2,300 inmates, with more than 1,100 serving long sentences. Tari highlighted the positive effects of using the education system for inmate rehabilitation.
