PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta today said his administration will dedicate more resources to reform Kenya’s criminal justice system to make it more effective.
The president said all agencies involved in the criminal justice system require more resources because of the growing populations they have to serve and the changes in technologies that also affect the nature of crimes they have to deal with.
While pledging that the government will increase resources allocated to relevant agencies, the president said institutions like the Kenya Prisons are allowed and should engage in income-generating activities.
“I ask the department to tap their revenue potential, so that we can avoid over-reliance on the exchequer. Our prisons ought to establish income generating activities and programs, not least because they will help rehabilitate prisoners once their terms are up,” said the President.
The President spoke when he presided over the passing out parade of 3,198 prisons officers at the Prisons Staff Training College, Ruiru.The new officers included those recruited from the National Youth Service, following President Kenyatta’s directive that all security forces should reserve some slots for the NYS youth during each recruitment exercise.
The recruits also included officers from the Makonde community, who were accorded citizenship rights last year by President Kenyatta, even though they have lived in Kenya since before independence.
The Head of State said the Prisons department plays an integral role in the protection of Kenyans against all sorts of crimes and they should be properly equipped for their job.