CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PS LEADS STAFF IN PLANTING 5,000 TREES AT NYERI PRISON COMMAND

By Nicholas Kigondu

Officers drawn from the State Department for Correctional Services on Thursday planted over 50,000 trees across the country during the department’s monthly tree-planting day.

Principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco led the exercise at the Nyeri prison command, where 5,000 trees were planted, as part of the department’s efforts to support Kenya’s plan to grow 15 billion trees by 2032.

Speaking during the exercise, the Principal Secretary said correctional institutions remain ready to support President Ruto’s environmental agenda, adding that the significant land resources in the department will continue to support the national environmental conservation agenda through tree growing, nurseries, and agroforestry.

According to the PS, the department intends to take advantage of the forecast El Niño rains to plant and grow more trees. This even as she challenged correctional officers to take care and nurture trees planted within the department’s facilities, with over 7 million trees already planted in support of the Greening Kenya initiative. “That’s what will make the difference. Every tree planted today is therefore a contribution to greater global effort. Our success will not be measured by the number of seedlings planted today, but by how many survive and flourish.” She noted.

She said the department will be among those supporting the president, who will be leading a synchronized one-hour tree-planting drive during this year’s Mazingira day celebrations, targeting to plant six million trees.

She at the same time said the department has developed a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan to adequately deal with possible adverse effects of the anticipated El Niño conditions. The plan, which includes the establishment of technical teams, is expected to provide robust frameworks for all managers of correctional facilities, staff and offenders who may be exposed to flooding, landslides, infrastructure damage, disruption of essential services and other climate-related hazards.

The technical teams are tasked with conducting predictive analytics, categorizing correctional facilities based on perceived risks, providing preparedness and response mechanisms, and establishing structures for coordination with external agencies. After the tree planting exercise, the PS toured the Nyeri Maximum Security GK Prison, Nyeri Medium Prison, and Nyeri Women’s Prison, where she met inmates and officers. While addressing inmates at the correctional facility, the PS urged them to take advantage of existing rehabilitation programmes to expand their knowledge, including formal and vocational training.

While engaging officers at the command, she said her office will continue to support initiatives aimed at enhancing their well-being. During the visit, the PS presided over the award of certificates to 26 inmates, who included four women, in various courses, including fashion and design, carpentry and joinery, welding, cosmetology, painting and decoration, courtesy of the Nyeri National Polytechnic.

The recognition of prior learning certificates were awarded after an evaluation period that saw the beneficiaries undergo assessment over a period of three months. The PS also commissioned the Nyeri Prison Command Enterprise Showroom, Regional Commander’s Sports Accommodation Hall and a Gate Lodge and Armory at Nyeri Medium Prison.

She was accompanied by Probation and Aftercare Service Secretary Shadrack Kavutai, Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons in charge of technical services Jane Kirii and other senior officers drawn from the State Department for Correctional Services.