A parliamentary oversight team has raised concern over the state of correctional facilities in Kenya after inspections revealed overcrowding, worn-out infrastructure, and poor sanitation conditions that are putting inmates’ health at risk during a nationwide review of prisons.
The National Assembly Committee on Implementation Oversight and Coordination shared the findings after a visit to a correctional facility in Kakamega County on Tuesday, where members engaged inmates and prison officials as part of an ongoing fact-finding tour across the country. The team is led by Nambale MP Geoffrey Ekesa Mulanya and Borabu MP Patrick Osero.
Lawmakers reported that many of the facilities they inspected are still operating in buildings left behind from the colonial era, which they said are no longer suitable for current prison populations. They noted that congestion in cells and poor air circulation are common, creating harsh living conditions and affecting the health of inmates.
Sanitation was identified as another serious challenge. According to the committee, several prisons are dealing with broken or stalled sewer systems. This has left inmates exposed to raw waste, raising fears of outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The lack of clean water and weak sanitation systems was said to be affecting inmates in multiple facilities across the country.
Security concerns were also raised during the visit. The committee observed that some prisons have weak perimeter walls and lack modern monitoring systems. This, they said, increases the chances of escape and unauthorised entry, which may compromise safety within the facilities and beyond.
Rehabilitation efforts were also flagged as insufficient. The lawmakers noted that training programmes in many prisons are limited by lack of modern equipment, reducing inmates’ chances of gaining practical skills that could help them after release.
“The lack of modern vocational training tools limits inmates’ ability to acquire marketable skills, undermining reintegration efforts upon release,” the lawmakers noted.
They added that overcrowding has changed the role of many prisons, with most facilities focusing more on holding inmates rather than supporting rehabilitation and reform.
Inmates who spoke to the committee presented several requests, including expansion of learning and vocational training spaces, creation of human rights desks, and stronger complaint-handling systems. They also pushed for improved medical care, including inpatient units capable of handling emergencies within prison facilities.
The committee said the issues raised will shape its final recommendations, which are expected to include upgrading infrastructure, introducing technology such as virtual court systems, and improving healthcare and training services in prisons.
The Kakamega visit followed an earlier inspection on Monday in Kisumu, where the committee focused on concerns linked to the Sexual Offences Act and its impact on prison populations.
During that session, inmates and stakeholders argued that mandatory jail terms for defilement cases, usually between 15 and 20 years, do not always consider the circumstances surrounding each case, especially those involving relationships between teenagers.
CIOC Chair Bernard Kitur warned that “a lot of our men, especially the youth, are wasting away in jail because of this Act,” calling for urgent legal reforms.
The committee also heard that sexual offences account for more than 31 percent of the prison population, with defilement cases forming the largest share.
The nationwide inspection tour is expected to continue in other regions before the committee compiles a full report aimed at guiding reforms in the country’s correctional system.