Rotich offers prisons Sh1bn to ease biting food shortage

Treasury secretary Henry Rotich on Wednesday received the nod to allocate the Prisons Department Sh1 billion to ease a biting food shortage at its correctional facilities.

High food prices and the rising number of inmates have been making it difficult for prisons to meet convicts’ food needs, according to the department.

Sources at the department said it had been prompted to cut inmates’ food rations, which are normally half-cooked ugali served with a sprinkle of beans or vegetables.

“The amounts required in the year ending June 30, 2015… including food and ration for the prisoners and pending bills... (is) Sh1 billion,” read the supplementary Appropriation Bill.

Prisons commissioner-general Isaiah Osugo told the Business Daily in an earlier interview that rising food prices and increasing numbers of inmates were making it difficult for correctional facilities to meet convicts’ food needs.

He said that prisons require Sh1.5 billion annually to offset debts owed to food suppliers.

“Even the Sh800 million is not enough to deal with the crisis. This is due to high food prices and the increased number of prisoners,” said Mr Osugo.

Sources at the prisons said they had been prompted to cut food rations. There are 110 prisons in the country and plans are underway to build nine more to ease congestion.

It’s normal to find more than 3,000 inmates sharing a prison designed for only 800, with the bulk of them charged with breaching drinking laws and petty thefts.

Official data shows that 23.3 per cent of the 109,629 inmates in Kenya’s prisons last year were charged under the Liquor Act, while 13.1 per cent or 14, 415 for theft of property.

Former president Mwai Kibaki started prison reforms which led to the introduction of better meals, TV sets and the replacement of tattered uniforms and mattress.