Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 589996,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/589996/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 290,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "revenue. It ends up in the exchequer account and this does not help the correctional services. On the issue of staff welfare, there is lack of clear mechanism for airing staff grievances. Historically, when prison officers raised grievances on their remuneration, most of them ended up in jail. It is important for them to have clear mechanism of how to air their grievances. There is low motivation due to skewing and a top heavy command structure which causes burden on the welfare of staff that needs to be looked into. There is also poor and inadequate housing with little water and sanitation facilities. If you go to Kamiti Maximum Prison, you will find that the staff houses are in deplorable condition because the number is very high. You will find two families with babies sharing one cubicle with a curtain dividing them. They only have a bed. It is the same area they use for cooking. This is challenging. In some prisons, they live in mud houses. This is very sad. This aspect needs to be looked into. The prisons warders also have poor remuneration and allowances. Prisons are part of the security department in this country. Unfortunately, they are not regarded in that manner. We really need to look at this particular aspect. Most of the working conditions of prison warders are very poor. They do not have gadgets and facilities. When inmates are taken to prisons, they end up carrying some contraband and the warders do not have gadgets to check the prisoners. They end up using their hands which is not hygienic and secure. This is a critical thing which we need to look into. In prisons department, there are gender challenges in leadership. Women are not given positions of leadership at high level. This is another aspect that we need to look at. There is also lack of adequate tools and materials for rehabilitation services and programmes such as machinery and training. In prisons today, most of the equipment that they have is outdated and unserviceable. Someone may be arrested for being drunk, psychological problems or a criminal and instead of rehabilitation programmes geared towards rehabilitation of an individual, for example, someone who is arrested for hawking is taken to farming. That will not help in rehabilitating them. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to bring out the issue of delayed conviction of appeals. People stay in remand for two or three years waiting for their cases to be determined or appeals made after one’s judgment has been made. This is a violation of the rights of inmates and it has to be changed. There is also lack of facilities for mothers with children in places of detention. Sometimes, pregnant women are arrested. Unfortunately, the prisons do not have facilities for pregnant mothers, especially when they are due for delivery. Sometimes, there are babies who accompany the mothers because they do not have anywhere else to go. Those of school going age do not attend school because there are no facilities for them in prisons. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, congestion is another aspect. Most prisons are ten times smaller than the capacity they are supposed to carry. This is a factor that really needs to be looked into. Poor sanitation is also another factor that needs to be looked into. Most prison facilities are outdated and cannot match the number of inmates in our prisons. Facilities are not enough for them. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}