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{
    "id": 593390,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/593390/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 376,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Constitution guarantees dignity and by the mere fact that one is imprisoned, he or she does not cease being a Kenyan. He or she is entitled to every right that any other Kenyan enjoys under the Constitution. That is why even when a prisoner has left prison, they cannot be employed because they were once imprisoned. This issue of good conduct should be dealt with starting with the public service. There is no reason why somebody who has completed his term should not be employed. The facilities are very poor and unhygienic. I had the opportunity to tour prison facilities as an officer working in the Ministry of Home Affairs under the then Vice President, Moody Awori. We were very encouraged when we started prison reforms. It is very disappointing that today, we are still not moving. As soon as he left office, it seems things went to a lull and the situation is getting worse. The prisoners have an opportunity to contribute to the country even as they are there. The prison industry used to be booming business and earned the department enough money even to run the prisons. Unfortunately, prison industries have died and we are no longer seeing their technology. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the houses for warders are in deplorable conditions and yet they have a lot of labour. All they need is a bit of finance to buy cement and technical know-how to be procured so that the prisoners themselves can construct houses for warders. Let me also comment on remandees. They are people who are waiting for their cases to be heard and are not guilty. Yet, the moment you land in prison, you are categorized as any other prisoner and some cases take too long to be determined; sometimes 10 years. Surely, that person has been imprisoned unfairly because the justice system is not working, right from the police to the courts who delay the cases and the prison authorities themselves. To make the prisoners productive citizens, if they are doing good work and generating money, it is important that they are given some stipend to support their families. I support."
}