State names hospital after fallen celebrated Prison commandant

Former Prisons Staff Training College commandant Wanini Kireri. [Willis Awandu, Standard]

A Level Four hospital in Ruiru, Kiambu County, will be named after the fallen commandant of the Kenya Prison Staff Training College.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the facility will be called Wanini Kereri Magereza Hospital in honour of the departed officer.

The CS spoke yesterday in Ruiru during the launch of a new training course for Prison cadet officers and other senior officials.

He said the first batch of 226 cadet trainees will be medical professionals who will work at the hospital.

Paying tribute to Kereri, Matiang’i said the fallen officer had “served selflessly”, hence the government’s decision to name the facility after her.

Saying there were 12,500 applications for the cadet positions but less than 300 made it to the final list, Dr Matiang’i added that the new strategic course aims at scaling up professionalism in the Prison service.

He said the security sector had significantly improved, and urged officers to uphold the highest moral standard, maintaining that they carry the vision of the President.

Matiang’i said the programme is part of the government’s reforms in the country’s correctional services, adding that the initiative was started purposely to position the Prisons Department on a par with other law enforcement agencies in terms of efficiency, responsiveness and professionalism.

The CS, at the same time, said the security sector had adapted to new demands, constitutional changes and a dynamic environment officers operate.