The Kenyan government plans to relocate Kisii Main GK Prison from the town center to Nyanturago, a rural area within Nyaribari Chache constituency, in order to create space for development projects and expand the town.
The Kisii County government has already identified over 15 acres of land for the relocation, and President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Interior to begin the process. Correctional Services Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni toured Kisii to investigate the relocation, and she emphasized the need for the National Government Administration officers to involve the prison department in their meetings with residents to promote better understanding of the law and reduce petty offenders in correctional facilities.
Kisii town is experiencing heavy congestion, high population, and limited land sizes, making it difficult for the county and national governments to undertake development projects.
Governor Simba Arati proposed relocating the main prison in the county to Nyanturago, and President Ruto promised to explore the issue.
During the meeting with various stakeholders, including the Kisii Central Sub County Commissioner, Police Commander, and County Criminal Investigations Officer, Muthoni stressed the importance of addressing land-related issues to decongest the main prison in the county.
Muthoni noted that correctional facilities across the country were congested with petty offenders because people often take even minor offenses to court instead of resolving them at the lowest level of society.
Relocating the prison to a more expansive and viable land could create new opportunities for farming and other activities.
The PS’s ongoing tour of prisons throughout Kenya aims to understand various challenges faced by prisoners and staff, and she called for a concerted effort to sensitize people on the need to solve small cases before they get to court.
