Defence CS Tuya pushes for human dignity and rehabilitation in Kenya’s prisons
Tuya urges a shift from punitive justice to rehabilitation and empowerment as Kenya accelerates correctional reforms focused on skills, dignity, and community reintegration.
During Correctional Service Week 2025, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya called for greater focus on rehabilitation, education, and human dignity within Kenya’s correctional system. She emphasised that formal and vocational training play a vital role in reducing repeat offending and supporting the reintegration of offenders into society.
Speaking at the three-day forum themed “Efficient Service Delivery for the Common Good,” Tuya said the State Department for Correctional Services is pioneering a new culture of corrections grounded in rehabilitation, community service, and respect for human rights.
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She pointed to notable progress in reintegration programmes, vocational training, offender aftercare, and digital innovations that have strengthened case management and record systems.
“We are seeing progress in reintegration programmes, vocational training, offender aftercare, and digital innovations that strengthen case management and record systems. These are clear building blocks of a modern, efficient, and people-centred correctional service,” said Tuya.
Correctional infrastructure
Tuya reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in correctional infrastructure, staff training, and welfare, as part of its efforts to modernise correctional management and enhance efficiency.
“The government will continue to support key reforms aimed at modernising correctional management and promoting efficiency,” she stated.
Principal Secretary Salome Beacco echoed Tuya’s remarks, affirming the department’s commitment to building a correctional service that contributes to national development, peace, and social cohesion.
She said the department envisions self-sustaining, rehabilitative, secure, and restorative institutions; ethical and professional officers; and communities that welcome reformed individuals as productive citizens rather than rejected outcasts.
“We envision institutions that are self-sustaining, rehabilitative, secure, and restorative; officers who are empowered, ethical, and professional; and communities that receive back reformed individuals as productive citizens rather than rejected outcasts,” she said.
International collaboration also featured prominently. Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Justice, Major General Mirsaleh Seyidov, pledged support for Kenya’s reforms, noting that the exchange of best practices would benefit both countries and strengthen their correctional systems.
He added that the growing partnership between Kenya and Azerbaijan—bolstered by recent presidential meetings at the United Nations General Assembly—has deepened bilateral ties.
“I am very pleased to note that relations between our countries are evolving dynamically with partnerships in different sectors and fields. The meeting between our Presidents on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York gave a significant boost to our bilateral ties,” said Seyidov.
Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh described Correctional Service Week as a time for renewed commitment, stressing that efficiency should be measured not only in statistics but in the positive impact on those under the department’s care.
Probation and Aftercare Service Secretary Christine Obondi added that in the three years since its inception, the forum has driven substantial progress in implementing the reforms envisioned.
The event was attended by Public Investment and Asset Management PS Cyrell Odede, Tourism PS John Ololtuaa, National Government Coordination PS, and Youth Affairs and Creative Economy PS Fikirini Jacobs—signalling broad government engagement in advancing Kenya’s correctional system reforms.
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