NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 7 — The Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) is hosting a high-ranking prison administration official from various Anglophone African countries in Nairobi for a meeting convened by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in collaboration with the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA).
According to a statement from KPS, the three-day regional workshop which commenced on Tuesday will provide a platform to facilitate the exchange of experiences, best practices, and lessons learned in correctional facilities, especially in infrastructure development and maintenance within the African region.
The meeting will reflect on previous editions held in Addis Ababa in November 2018 and Kigali in 2020, with a focus on the revision of the draft “Prison Maintenance Guide” and its operationalization.
“Prisons worldwide serve as homes to thousands of people in conflict with the law. It is paramount to note that children accompanying their mothers to prison also spend their early years of life in these institutions. Many prisoners spend a long time in pretrial detention before the conclusion of their cases,” the Commissioner-General of KPS, John Kibaso Warioba, said.
Warioba noted that prisoners’ vulnerability makes them dependent on policymakers who have a duty to ensure that they are protected and well catered for.
“As prison officers, we have a responsibility to ensure that within institutions, exist functional systems and quality infrastructure to guarantee prisoners’ basic rights, their rehabilitation and conducive environment for wholesome development of children who accompany their mothers to prison,” Warioba stated.
Daniel O’Malley, Regional Head of the ICRC in Nairobi, said that prisoners in all holding facilities need to be treated with dignity
“Prisoners not only interact with other government structures but also depend on the availability of medical services, psychosocial support, and food supplies. The common goal is that prison systems can continue as places that sustain life, remain respectful of the rights and dignity of prisoners while ensuring a suitable work environment or prison staff,” he said.
The ICRC has for decades been involved in places of detention in Africa.
Increasingly, its efforts are shifting towards multidisciplinary and technical expertise sharing and support, as well as prison management capacity building.
In Kenya, the ICRC working together with the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has been working with Kenya Prisons to improve the living conditions of inmates in the wake of COVID-19, built quarantine facilities, and collaborated on establishing infection prevention measures to prevent infection spread.
Representatives from Ethiopia, Gambia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Mozambique, E-Swatini, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Sudan, and Kenya are expected to be part of the workshop.
