The Kenya Prison Service Commissioner General Patrick Arandu has expressed commitment by the government to improve the living conditions for prison officers.
Arandu said prison officers face a challenge of decent accommodation, noting the government was working on a budget to build modern, decent houses for the officers.
The Commissioner General said the government has already approved the construction of at least 28,000 houses for prison officers.
He said, besides housing, the government is also keen on providing officers with other incentives like a good working environment and a well-defined career progression.
Mr. Arandu spoke when he visited Rachuonyo GK Prison in Homa Bay County on Thursday, where he officially opened an administration block which was constructed through the support of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) in Karachuonyo.
On security, he said that prison officers managed to re-arrest three convicts who escaped from Wundanyi prison.
They were among eight inmates who escaped from the correctional facility.
“Security agencies are working tirelessly to ensure they track and apprehend the other inmates who escaped from the facility,” Mr Arandu said.
Meanwhile, plans are still underway to relocate Homa Bay GK prison to create room for the expansion of Tom Mboya University.
There have been proposals to move the correctional facility to a different location to create space for the higher learning institution to erect more buildings.
Mr. Arandu said KPS is still engaging the university and the county government of Homa Bay about the relocation plans.
“Land should be provided where we are going to relocate the prison. It is the County Government that should allocate land,” he said.
“We will continue supporting the prison service officers since security is one of the core functions of the national government,” he said.
By Davis Langat