The Judiciary has been asked to hasten hearing cases to help reduce the high number of remandees in various correctional facilities across the country.
Interior Coordination Principal Secretary Josephta Mukobe says the high number of remandees in prisons is posing a serious challenge to the government.
“Our courts must work hard to ensure remandees do not take long in our prisons. Let their cases be decided quickly enough,” she said.
She said the government is unable to draw future plans with the remandees and their long stay in prisons is a concern that must be addressed urgently.
Mukobe said courts should dispense their cases in time to avoid their long stay in prisons where they continue getting services from the government without any return.
Speaking after opening the newly built probation offices in Siaya and Kisumu, Mukobe said the country has more than 55,000 people in prisons but half of these are remandees.
She said the newly built probation offices will improve the probation services in the two counties.
“Now our officers will be comfortable counselling their clients in private offices,” she said.
Mukobe said that in the past the probation officers have endured working in small offices making their work difficult and expressed optimism that the services will now be enjoyable.