The government is stepping up efforts to reform Kenya’s correctional system by expanding access to education, vocational training, mental health support and other rehabilitation programmes for inmates. Correctional Services Principal Secretary Dr Salome Beacco said the State Department for Correctional Services is working with development partners to align prison operations with the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules, which promote the humane treatment and rehabilitation of offenders.
Speaking in Nairobi during a meeting with officials from Faraja Trust, Beacco said ongoing welfare initiatives were aimed at restoring human dignity while improving the health and rehabilitation of inmates. She cited the He for He Triple-Decker Bed Campaign as one of the initiatives supporting prison decongestion and improving living conditions for male inmates.
The campaign, championed by Beacco, targets the fabrication and distribution of 20,000 triple-decker beds to provide proper sleeping spaces for about 57,000 male inmates who previously slept on prison floors. At least 2,000 beds have already been fabricated and distributed to several correctional facilities, including Nairobi West Prison, Mombasa Remand Prison, Kajiado Main Prison and Kiambu GK Prison.
“The department is working with stakeholders on other areas of rehabilitation and skills development including mental health and psychosocial support,” said Beacco.
Partners support prison rehabilitation
Faraja Trust Executive Director Astrid Meienberg said the organisation was exploring ways of supporting the government’s rehabilitation initiatives. She said the organisation was working on plans to support the provision of beds at Shimo la Tewa Maximum Security Prison.
The partnership could also support the construction of a daycare centre at Nanyuki Women’s Prison and explore the fabrication of triple-decker beds at Nanyuki GK Prison. Beyond improving living conditions, the government is seeking to strengthen the skills and education component of correctional services.
The State Department is expanding partnerships to provide inmates with opportunities for formal education, vocational training and access to legal services as part of efforts to reduce reoffending and support reintegration into society. Beacco said there was growing interest among inmates in education, noting that formal schooling and vocational programmes recognised by institutions such as TVET and NITA can equip prisoners with practical skills while improving literacy and employability.
The programmes are expected to give inmates skills they can use to earn a livelihood after completing their sentences, reducing the risk of returning to crime.
Classrooms to double as digital justice centres
During a separate meeting with representatives of the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), Beacco sought support for the construction and renovation of multi-purpose learning facilities in correctional institutions. The proposed facilities would be equipped with computers, projectors and solar-powered internet connectivity. The classrooms would serve multiple purposes, including supporting formal education, vocational training, counselling and digital access to justice.
The government also plans to use some of the facilities as virtual courtrooms, potentially reducing the need to transport inmates to courts. According to the department, greater use of virtual court proceedings could help expedite judicial processes while reducing the movement of inmates and easing congestion within correctional facilities.
IDLO Representative Adam Njama commended the department’s rehabilitation efforts and pledged support for initiatives aimed at expanding formal education, vocational training and technology-driven access to justice. The reforms place skills development at the centre of Kenya’s correctional approach, with education and vocational training expected to complement welfare interventions in preparing inmates for successful reintegration into society.