Kisumu: The European Union (EU) has funded a mega solar project at Kisumu Maximum Prison, Kodiaga, with an investment of nearly Sh6 million. This initiative is set to reduce the prison’s power costs by over 70%, as revealed by Dr. Salome Muhia Beacco, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Correctional Services, during the project’s launch.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Beacco emphasized that monthly power bills at the facility will decrease by Sh100,000 to Sh300,000, with a goal to eventually eliminate these costs. This reduction will allow the reallocation of funds to address other needs within the facility. The project is part of broader efforts to enhance inmate living conditions, with power being crucial for running cottage industries and other initiatives.
Dr. Beacco highlighted the importance of power availability for the digitization of justice processes, which will help reduce congestion in correctional facilities. Nearly half of the inmates are in remand, and the implementation of virtual courts through digitization is expected to expedite case resolution, saving time and resources.
The greening of correctional facilities aligns with the national agenda of environmental sustainability, which could contribute to gaining carbon credits. The EU, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) through the Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery (PLEAD), is implementing similar projects in other prisons across Kenya, including Nairobi Remand Prison, Shikusa in Kakamega, and Kericho Prisons.
European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, noted that the project would facilitate faster justice delivery through virtual courts and digitization, reducing delays and corruption. The financial support from the EU, along with the UNODC’s PLEAD, aims to provide fair, efficient, and inclusive justice services by deploying e-justice solutions.
Ambassador Geiger stated that the program will continue to support the justice sector with transformative solar power solutions, reducing case backlogs, promoting virtual court sessions, and minimizing carbon emissions. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual hearings, significantly reducing the time and cost of accessing justice.
Deputy Representative of the UNODC, Mr. Koen Marquering, praised Kenya for its efforts to provide humane conditions for inmates, aligning with the Nelson Mandela rules, which set the minimum UN standards for prisoner treatment. He noted that the greening project would improve prisoner conditions and reduce costs.
The event was attended by Kisumu Resident Judge Justice Alfred Mabeya and Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service, Mr. Patrick Aranduh. The Kenya Prisons Service manages 140 penal institutions, including facilities for adult and youthful offenders. The current prison population stands at 54,000, with 48% being pre-trial detainees.
Kisumu Maximum Prison houses 2,300 inmates. A project to construct decentralized sewage treatment plants is also underway, providing opportunities to reuse wastewater for production, such as making briquettes.
