The Judiciary has been challenged to act on pending cases with speed to reduce the number of prisoners held in the cells which is rapidly increasing in prisons across the country.
While commenting on the increased congestion of prisons in the country, Correctional Services Principal Secretary Micah Powon said the increase is weighing down on the government.
"Prisons facility in the country should hold about 27,000 prisoners as opposed to the current 55, 125. This has been largely due to the slow judicial processes taking place in our courts which slow down the judgement process. It would therefore be important to see the Judiciary speed up judgement for remandees or consider alternative sentences such as community service in order to address the congestion problem,’ Powon stated.
The PS was speaking in Nakuru on Thursday while on an inspection tour of housing units for prisons staff at the Nakuru GK Prison. He, however, reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the facilities including staff welfare.
‘Despite all these challenges, the government, however, is fully committed to improving the housing for prison staff so that they can live in a conducive environment,’ Powon added.
Powon was accompanied by Prisons Commissioner General Isaiah Osugo and other senior officers from the prisons service.