More than 300 prison warders promoted

By Cyrus Ombati

More than 300 prison warders have been promoted in a move aimed at motivating the department and enhancing performance.

The officers, of the rank of corporals, sergeants and senior sergeants, moved up a level, while a few provincial commanders were promoted to the rank of deputy commissioner of prisons.

Authorities said the move aimed at filling several administrative gaps that have been affecting service delivery.

"These are normal promotions, which had not been effected for years. We want to ensure smooth operations within the department by having the right people in charge," said prisons boss Isaiah Osugo.

The list of those promoted was released on Friday. The issue of promotion was cited in a taskforce report as a major problem in the correctional department.

It came days after the department recalled all prison warders seconded to ministers and other VIPs as bodyguards and drivers.

The warders will now be required to perform other duties at the prisons department. The close to 200 officers have been given up to this week to report to prison headquarters for reallocation of duties, a circular seen by The Standard read in part.

Sources said the warders have been performing duties other than those on their job description.

"The law is clear that the prison warder’s work is to take care of prisoners and reform them not act as bodyguards," said an official who sought anonymity.

Some of the warders were said to be resisting the move, because of the hefty allowances they receive at their current workstations.

The department is also carrying out a headcount of its staff.

Osugo said the recalled warders would be allocated other duties within the department.

A taskforce report last year found out the department faces several problems, including lack of uniforms, nepotism, political alignment and corruption.

The report established prisons countrywide suffer an acute shortage of housing for staff. There are 3,660 houses against a staff of 17,177.

And although most of its officers lived in shacks, the department did not use the Sh480 million allocated in the last two financial years to build houses. It only spent Sh348 million.