Embu: A new Sh9 million Mother and Child Accommodation Unit is set to be constructed at Embu Women’s Prison, marking a major milestone in improving the welfare of children living with their incarcerated mothers.
According to Kenya News Agency, the facility is being developed with support from FreedomWithin Kenya and aims to provide a safer, healthier, and more nurturing environment for infants and young children spending their formative years behind bars. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Dr. Salome Beacco, Principal Secretary (PS) of the State Department for Correctional Services, emphasized that the project is part of the Government’s broader reform agenda to transform Kenya’s correctional facilities.
Dr. Beacco highlighted that this reform journey began in 2022 with the formation of a Presidential Taskforce on Prison Reforms. The taskforce’s recommendations, including the rehabilitation and modernization of correctional facilities, are now being implemented. Embu Women’s Prison serves as a prime example of this ongoing transformation, having already benefited from projects like a dining hall, borehole revival, landscaping, and an Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centre.
Earlier, the PS inaugurated the ECDE centre, which includes two fully equipped classrooms and a water, sanitation, and hygiene facility. This centre will cater to children of incarcerated mothers, children of prison staff, and those from the neighboring community. Dr. Beacco noted the historical link between low literacy levels and offending, prompting a shift towards evidence-based rehabilitation focusing on formal and vocational education for offenders and their dependants.
The PS reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the reform journey gains traction and meaningfully impacts restoring dignity for inmates and officers in correctional facilities nationwide. She emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in overcoming infrastructure deficits, acknowledging that the Government cannot undertake this reform journey alone.
The new Mother and Child Unit is designed to complement existing interventions by offering accommodation and care for children accompanying their mothers in custody. This initiative reflects efforts to make correctional institutions more responsive to vulnerable groups and ensure children are shielded from harsh prison conditions while their mothers serve their sentences.
On staff welfare, Dr. Beacco mentioned ongoing improvements, including better-quality working facilities and phased salary scheme increments. Addressing prison overcrowding, she noted that over 4,950 inmates were decongested during the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, with the initiative ongoing.
Additionally, Dr. Beacco outlined the Department’s collaboration with county governments to deploy individuals serving Community Service Orders (CSOs) to public institutions such as government offices, hospitals, and schools. This approach aims to ensure community service sentences benefit society, promoting rehabilitation and encouraging offenders to contribute positively to their communities.
