Eighty-six inmates have regained their freedom from Kodiaga Maximum Prison following a court-driven exercise aimed at reducing congestion and supporting reform within correctional facilities.
The release followed a review of inmate cases conducted by the Kisumu County Court Users Committee as part of its ongoing efforts to improve access to justice and living conditions in prisons.
The move was confirmed on Friday by Kisumu High Court Presiding Judge Alfred Mabeya during a visit to the prison.
Speaking at the facility, Mabeya said the visit formed part of the committee’s mandate. “Today we had an opportunity of visiting Kodiaga Maximum Prison, for purposes of executing one of our mandates as CUC,” he said, noting that justice delivery and prison decongestion remain key priorities.
Kodiaga Maximum Prison serves as the main holding facility for inmates from South and Central Nyanza, as well as sections of the former Western Province, making it the largest prison in the region.
Justice Mabeya pointed out that the prison is currently operating far beyond its capacity. “This is a prison which was meant to hold about 800 prisoners, but right now, this morning, they had 2,582 prisoners,” he said, highlighting the strain such numbers place on facilities and staff.
He explained that the release of inmates was carried out under an organised and regular framework guided by the Judiciary’s broader reform agenda. “As Kisumu CUC, we have a quarterly system of decongestion through the Sturge programme of the vision of our Judiciary, led by Chief Justice Martha Koome,” he said. The programme involves reviewing cases every four months to identify inmates eligible for release or alternative sentences.
According to Justice Mabeya, the latest review focused on cases from October to December. “We got a total number of about 350 applications or reports on various inmates who are here,” he said. Each case was assessed on its own merit before decisions were made.
“At the end of the exercise, we’ve been able to release exactly 86 of them,” he said. He added that not all reviewed inmates were released, as different options were applied based on individual situations. “Others are going for community service orders. Others are going for probation and others who commuted their sentences,” he said.
Justice Mabeya said the exercise served two main purposes. “One, for those who have been rehabilitated, they have been released to go back to the communities and to engage themselves in positive work of nation building,” he said. “And for the prison itself, we are able to decongest and lighten their burden.”
He stressed that holding such reviews on a regular basis was important in managing the persistent congestion at Kodiaga. “So the exercise, when it is done periodically, we are able to achieve that particular objective,” he said, referring to both easing overcrowding and improving conditions within the prison.
The visit also included a humanitarian aspect, with the Kisumu CUC delivering support items to the facility ahead of the festive season.
“Apart from also the decongestion, we also came with the gifts,” Justice Mabeya said. He explained that the committee donated food and other basic supplies to help support inmates during the Christmas period.
“We brought things worth more than 350,000,” he said, noting that the items were contributed by members of the Kisumu County Court Users Committee.
According to Mabeya, the gesture was intended to improve inmate welfare and offer some relief during the holiday season. He said the visit demonstrated the committee’s broader commitment to fairness, rehabilitation, and humane treatment within the justice system, especially in overcrowded prisons such as Kodiaga Maximum Prison.
