President William Ruto Wednesday announced plans for better housing and salary increases for police prison officers starting this month.
Among the plans Ruto’s administration has for the prison service is the provision of better housing for prison officers and increasing their salaries alongside those of other police officers.
“This month, the prisons men and women will have their first salary increment instalment together with the other security agencies,” said Ruto.Ruto late last year pledged a 40 per cent increment in police officers’ salaries as part of recommendations by a task-force on police reforms chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga.
In February this year, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo confirmed that the salary increment will start July this year, and be rolled out gradually over the next three years.
Ruto made the revelations when he presided over the swearing ceremony of Patrick Aranduh as the new Commissioner General of Prisons at State House, Nairobi.
Aranduh replaces John Warioba, who is on terminal leave.
The salaries have been allocated more than Sh3 billion. There will be no recruitment of police this year. This affects many plans in the service at large.
Ruto also urged Aranduh to ensure all arable prison land is used for food production.
Arandu took the oath of office before Ruto in a ceremony presided over by Deputy State House Comptroller Josephat Nanok.
Ruto praised Arandu as a competent professional and exuded confidence that under his leadership, the Kenya Prisons Service will implement the various reforms the President has lined up
Ruto appointed Aranduh on July 12 to succeed John Warioba, who has proceeded on terminal leave.
“I am confident that the responsibilities assigned to you by virtue of this appointment are merited. The Prisons Service is looking forward to your leadership in making sure that our correctional services are managed appropriately in the best interest of the company,” said Ruto.
“I pledge and commit my support and that of the entire government.”
The Prison Service has also been incorporated into the government’s national tree-planting initiative, as well as food production.
“I expect you to make sure that every arable piece of land under the Prisons Service is put under food production to supply food to the service and by extension the country,” Ruto told Aranduh.
The ceremony was attended by key government officials, including Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Aranduh says he will prioritize modernization in the prisons department.
He hopes to get more funding to enhance his plans as he banks on a complete shift that will also equip inmates, preparing them for after prison period.
He gave out a 100-day plan within the service to review regulations and policies to implement the Maraga report on prison reforms.
“The Maraga report gave out various implementation plans which we intend to work on to ensure the service moves to the next level,” he said.
He said management and welfare of the staff at the prisons are key in achieving their goals. And he intends to also prioritise the issues.
The mental welfare of the prison wardens is also another area of his focus.
This is after it emerged the prison community is also increasingly facing a challenge in terms of mental trauma. Aranduh who took over office after being named to the position on July 12 has set out a raft of measures, including working closely with the judiciary to decongest prisons that he now says host about 62,000 inmates as opposed to a capacity of 30,000.
Aranduh, a career prisons officer who has risen over the ranks in the prisons department, has also noted focus on modernizing industries and farm technology with the aim of feeding itself and the country at large.
“We are grateful so far and with the support of all stakeholders we will move the department to the next level,” he said.
Aranduh says he would work closely with stakeholders in the education sector to revolutionize the education currently offered in prisons, to equip them with the necessary skills for rehabilitation.
Aranduh had been named the commandant of Kenya Prisons Training College in Ruiru when he was promoted to the position of CG. On housing, Commissioner General says his reign would immediately embark on President William Ruto’s plan of constructing 28,000 houses for prison wardens to address the shortfall currently being witnessed.
Lack of funding is a major challenge in the service.
The National Taskforce on Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service and other Reforms for Members of the National Police Service, National Youth Service and Kenya Prisons Service recommended all top prison officers to be vetted within six months.
The report was handed over in December 2023.
The team said it established the prisons have had an annual average funding deficit of about 40 percent since 2008.
“This has affected its institutional development. Worse still, unlike the case in the National Police Service, there is no modernization plan in place for Kenya Prisons Service,” the report says.
