H.E The President Presides Over The 26th Prisons Cadet Pass Out Parade Ceremony
H.E The President, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, CGH presided over the 26th prisons pass-out parade of cadet officers at the Prisons Staff Training College, Ruiru on 24th April 2023.
Present was the Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, the CS Interior and National Administration Prof. Kithure Kindiki EGH, CS Defence Hon. Aden Duale, EGH, Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Mary Muthoni Muriuki, HSC, Commissioner General of Prisons Brg (Rtd) John Warioba, EGH among other Senior Government Officers.
The cadet officers took an oath to commit in serving the country by reforming, redirecting, and rehabilitating offenders.
The 222 cadet officers graduated from different professions, composing of 138 men and 84 women, had completed 13 months of rigorous training.
The President congratulated the graduands for successfully completing their training and their commitment to the service.
In his speech, he applauded the correctional services for aiming at correcting offenders through rehabilitating them.
"The shift of the Correctional Service from punishment and retribution to rehabilitation and correction has opened up possibilities with important implications for our agenda”, said the Chief Guest.
The Head of State commended the State Department for Correctional Services for supporting the afforestation program to curb issues of climate change and increase on forest cover.
“I take this opportunity to commend the State Department for Correctional Services which has planted 443,025 trees so far in prisons institutions across the country. This impressive number excludes 2,010 trees planted under the Community Service Order Afforestation Programme, 5,000 trees planted at the Kianjuki-ini Forest in Kirinyaga County and the Marmanet Forest initiative which aims to plant an additional 100,000 trees,” the President said.
The Cabinet Secretaries for Interior and his counterpart of Public Works were urged to develop a master plan which will help identify new prison sites. Its aim being to decongest the already crowded prison facilities.
He further recommended the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms especially when dealing with petty offenses.
“It is important for stakeholders in the justice value chain to seriously implement alternative dispute resolution and to consider alternatives to imprisonment for relatively minor sentences,” he said
The CS Interior and National Administration in his address, appreciated the government for the support that they have shown to the correctional services.
He thanked the President for his continuous support towards the mechanization of prison farms and modernization of its industries and complimented Kenya Prisons Service for being able to produce seedlings at various stations within the country.
"Kenya Prison Service is one of the major producers of seedlings in the country”, said the Interior CS.
The Correctional PS Ms. Mary Muthoni in an interview with journalist on the sidelines, added that talks are in line with the Judiciary to find alternative ways of rehabilitating prisoners, with the help of the President on the exercise of the power of mercy to help in the decongestion of prisons.