More than 121,000 young people have been incarcerated in Kenya since 2022, including 1,100 who were jailed over offences connected to violent extremism, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told the Senate.
The figures highlight the scale of youth involvement in crime, even as the government expands rehabilitation, skills training and economic programmes aimed at helping young offenders change their lives and avoid returning to crime.
Responding to senators on Monday, Murkomen said 4,610 youths had completed rehabilitation programmes while serving custodial sentences since 2022.
“Chair, a total of 4,610 have successfully completed rehabilitation programs while serving custodial settings since the year 2022,” the CS said.
He said the Kenya Prison Service was providing young offenders with opportunities to gain practical skills, receive support and prepare for life after prison.
The rehabilitation programmes include counselling and psychosocial support, primary and secondary education, technical training, creative arts, tailoring, sports and recreational activities.
Mental health support is also provided as part of the programmes offered to young people in custody.
On the skills side, inmates can train in welding and fabrication, carpentry and joinery, electrical installation, masonry and plumbing.
Other courses include motor vehicle mechanics, coding and robotics, gaming and animation, as well as fashion and textile design.
Murkomen said youths who successfully complete the training are awarded nationally recognised certificates that can help them seek employment and rebuild their lives after release.
Beyond rehabilitation inside correctional facilities, the government is also putting measures in place to keep young people from being drawn into crime.
Murkomen said the measures include action plans to prevent and counter violent extremism in counties considered hotspots.
The government is also expanding youth empowerment initiatives, including the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, digital programmes, affordable housing and employment initiatives.
Access to vocational and technical training is being increased in sectors such as ICT, automotive engineering, construction and agribusiness.
At the same time, security agencies have intensified operations targeting criminal gangs, drug trafficking networks and organised criminal groups involved in recruiting and exploiting young people.
“The government recognizes the youth involvement in crimes driven by the combination of economic, social, behavioral, and security-related factors,” he said.
“Consequently, the interventions being implemented focus not only on enforcement, but also prevention, rehabilitation, skill development, environmental engagement, and socio-economic empowerment to provide sustainable alternatives for young people.”
The Interior CS further disclosed that 1,100 youths had been incarcerated for offences related to violent extremism, based on the figures presented to senators.
He said those convicted of such offences receive sentences based on the seriousness of the crime, with punishments ranging from two days to life imprisonment.
The average definite custodial sentence for the offences was about one-and-a-half years, Murkomen said.
The government is also seeking to widen financial support for programmes targeting youth crime by working with other agencies and partners.
Murkomen said funding for the interventions would be supported through increased budgetary allocations, development partners and public-private partnerships.