Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to pardon petty offenders who are languishing in prison and remands across the country.
Ngilu said releasing petty offenders will help the government in decongesting prisons.
The NARC governor said the majority of prisoners are people who committed petty offenses like stealing chicken, smoking bhang and engaging in assault.
Ngilu said these prisoners are young people needed in building the nation.
“The President should consider pardoning young prisoners facing petty offenses in courts,” Ngilu said.
She spoke at Kitui GK Prison on Tuesday.
Ngilu said prisoners jailed for petty offenses can be reformed through various programs and incorporated into nation building.
She said the government should crack down and jail hard criminals instead of the petty offenders.
Ngilu added that petty offenders should be given alternatives of paying fines instead of being pushed to prisons and remands.
The government through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is working on a plan to decongest prisons.
The ODPP has been carrying out a review exercise aimed at decongesting prisons across the country.
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