New beds, new beginnings: Dignity drive targets 57,000 male inmates
Kamiti Prison. The Catholic Men's Association has launched a HeforHe campaign to provide beds to all male inmates to restore their dignity.
What you need to know:
- Catholic Men’s Association partners with state to improve male prisons by planning to donate at least 20,000 triple-decker beds nationwide.
- The He for He campaign seeks to transform Kenyan male prisons, ensuring health, dignity, and equality with female facilities.
A few years ago, NTV did a story that lifted the lid off the deplorable living conditions at the Manyani Maximum Security Prison in Taita Taveta County.
In the story, inmates slept on the floor, with only the privileged few having bedding. All the other men had tattered mattresses and blankets. The plight of these male inmates, as captured in the story, mirrors what thousands of their counterparts undergo in other male prisons.
Most male inmates sleep on the floor, have tattered mattresses and blankets. However, this sad tale is bound to change if an initiative launched on Sunday is anything to go by. The State Department of Correctional Service, in conjunction with the Catholic Men’s Association, launched the He for He Initiative that seeks to improve the wellbeing of male inmates.
The Catholic Men’s Association and men of goodwill are spearheading the initiative aimed at providing triple-decker beds in the nine male prisons in the country. Dubbed, He for He Triple Decker Bed campaign, it targets at least 20,000 triple decker beds fabricated to cater to about 57,000 men behind bars.
Positive step
Launching the campaign at the Nairobi West Prison, Nairobi Catholic Archbishop Philip Anyolo urged Kenyans to embrace the initiative, saying it is a positive step towards humanising those held within prison walls and according dignity to those in need.
“The campaign is important and is incorporated in evangelism. This is an expression of the love of Christ. Let’s take care of one another to make prisons better places for rehabilitation,” he said.
Fr Bernard Ndichu, the CMA chaplain, said God is of another chance and urged Christians to show compassion and commitment to those behind bars because prison is only a temporary setback.
Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco said the initiative will ensure no one is left behind, besides optimising space, reaffirming dignity and enhancing overall health of inmates. “Today, we gather not merely to launch a physical installation, but to ignite a movement for dignity, justice, and humanity within our correctional facilities. We are here because we believe that where there is incarceration, there must be compassion,” she said.
She added that the initiative resonates with Nelson Mandela’s rules and the United Nations’ Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of offenders that prescribe that prisoners be treated with dignity and value. “But more than compliance, it reflects conscience. We are choosing a path that prioritises humanity; that recognises that confinement must never translate into indignity.”
According to Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh, they seek to restore the dignity of all male inmates. He urged those in prison to take advantage of existing programmes to upskill so that they can pick up the pieces once they are released.
The He for He Triple Decker Bed Campaign is transformative and aimed at ensuring every male inmate has access to a bed. It will ensure that they have beds just like their female counterparts, with all women prisons now boasting beds for all their inmates. The campaign further invites well-wishers and partners to adopt a bed and be part of a humane and dignified solution to the suffering of inmates.
Azerbaijan Ambassador Sultan Hajiyev noted that the initiative is a demonstration of the power of good deeds, adding that it will make a positive impact on the lives of prisoners who are among the most vulnerable in society.
Past reforms
In 2003, immediately after taking over the reins of power, former President Mwai Kibaki initiated prison reforms. These were introduced to address human rights issues, rid the facilities of punishment, torment and humiliation, and introduce correction and rehabilitation. Also, new uniforms; mattresses and blankets; television sets and buses were made available for comfort.
The inmates were allowed for the first time to wear underwear and shoes, their diet was improved by incorporation of sugar and rice, a special diet for the HIV-positive inmates was also introduced. Female prisoners were provided with sanitary towels.
The reforms also aimed at improving the deplorable living conditions which include improved sanitation in living quarters, proper dressing for inmates, recreational activities for inmates such as beauty contests, cultural activities, guidance and counselling of staff and offenders.
Also contained in the reforms included training staff on human rights issues, availability of appropriate programmes to meet the needs of prisoners and universally accepted standards of care and services, fair and just treatment of prisoners, access to rules and regulations governing their conduct, accessibility to their families and outside community, decongestion of prisons through revival of noncustodial means for non-serious offenders and inter prison transfers.
