NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 7 — Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has expressed concern over what he has termed an emerging calibre of inmates, particularly those involved in violent extremism, citing an imminent security threat within the prison systems and nations around the world in the wake of increased radicalization.
Matiangi said Tuesday, in a speech read by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru during the regional workshop on prison infrastructure, countries need to come up with measures to curb radicalization within the prison systems.
“I trust that these deliberations will look into how to secure our prisons including designing infrastructure that would address the challenge of radicalization in prisons,” he said.
The Interior CS pointed out that the major challenge facing prisons is infrastructure both in terms of quality and quantity.
He pointed out that overcrowding in prisons remains a big challenge for countries across the globe including Kenya.
“One way of dealing with this problem is by stakeholders working together to minimize the number of offenders who end up in prison through the use of alternatives to imprisonment,” Matiangi stated.
The CS emphasized the need to continue developing prison infrastructure to deal with the prison population which he noted keeps rising.
“Inadequate, low quality or dilapidated infrastructure affects all areas of prison management including poor prisoners’ and staff living conditions, poor working conditions and lack of space to carry out rehabilitation programmes,” he added.
He also urged the administration officials in prisons to beware of what he termed as “unintended impacts of new technology aimed at improving services and conditions of incarceration” to ensure that inmates do not use the internet to further their criminal activities while serving their sentences.
While thanking the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA), Matiangi reiterate the commitment of Kenya as a member of ACSA, which he said plays a critical role as a peer review mechanism among Correctional Services in Africa.
“Kenya, like many states globally, has some financial constraints. However, in spite of this, we continue to align correctional reforms and transformational agenda to our National Development Plans,” Matiangi said.
He noted that the government is committed to supporting prison facilities across the country in all areas including rehabilitation programmes, capacity building and infrastructure development.
