The prison department is calling for laws where mothers with babies can be allowed to serve community service instead of being imprisoned to reduce the rising number of minors in such institutions.
According to the officer in charge of the Naivasha prison command Patrick Mwenda, it was unfair to continue holding the innocent minors for crimes committed by their mothers.
Mwenda challenged the judiciary to urgently review the cases, which according to him were on the rise with some mothers carrying newborn babies.
“We have over 20 minors at the Naivasha women prison who are living with their jailed mothers and its prudent that we address their situation urgently,” said Mwenda.
The officer, who is also in charge of Naivasha G.K Prison noted that the continued incarceration of the minors was affecting their upbringing and foundation.
Speaking at Naivasha Annex prison on Wednesday when members of the judiciary donated shaving equipments and personal effects to the inmates, the officer further urged mothers to stay away from crime to avoid stepping in such insitituions.
Nominated High Court judge Stephen Githinji, who graced the occasion said that the judiciary was ready to look into the issue.
Githinji called on the prison department to raise the issue with the Court users committee, which would review jail terms for deserving mothers.
“This issue can be addressed through the court users committee in which prison is a member so that the lives of the minors can be addressed,” said Githinji.
On the shaving project, he said that the one-month course would empower the inmates so that they could get job opportunities after leaving prison.
"We have plans to train inmates on how to ride motorcycles and acquire driving licenses as part of rehabilitating them,” he said.