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Parliamentary team tours prisons

NAIVASHA, July 3 – The Parliamentary Committee on Security has expressed concern over the poor living conditions of prison warders and termed them as deplorable.

Committee’s chair Fred Kapondi said some of the housing units at the Naivasha Maximum Prison were worn out and didn’t fit human living.

He said that it was unacceptable for the officers to live in such pathetic conditions in this era and age adding that the officers who guard hardcore criminals needed a better setting.

Speaking after leading members of his committee on a fact finding mission to the reform facility, Kapondi said the warders were public servants and deserved better housing units.

The committee was shocked to find that more than 30 newly posted prison officers were sharing a single housing unit where they cook and bath at intervals.

At the facility, jailed Mungiki sect leader Maina Njenga complained to the team that his relatives had been barred from visiting him. He is currently serving a five year term for being in possession of a fire arm and drugs contrary to the law.

Addressing the seven legislators Maina said he was unable to burry his wife Virginia Nyakio or even to plan for the burial alleging that there were "orders from above" that barred his relatives or members of the sect to visit.

The committee later toured the internally displaced persons at the stadium camp in Naivasha.

The IDPs said the Sh10,000 compensation being offered by the government was too little and could not enable them start a new life as they had families whose children were bound to start schooling in their original places once they went back.

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On his part Kapondi who is the Mt Elgon legislator promised to take up the issue with the special Programme Minister Naomi Shaban.

Other members of the committee who made the tour were; Lewis Nguyai, Joseph Kiuna, Francis Letimalo, Cyprian Omolo and Peter Kiilu. 

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