Lodwar prisoners living larger than prison warders, officers say

Junior officers in Lodwar Prison, Turkana County are appealing to the commissioner of prisons Isaiah Osugo to come to their rescue and provide them with decent housing.

The 35 dome-shaped grass thatched structures that house the prison warders are slowly crumbling down, while the inmates ironically live in a better place as compared to the warders.

According to the officers, when it rains at night all the roofs leak and officers are left stranded.

“The inmates are living large with big rooms and cells while the prison warders who are taking care of them have poor housing,” said one of the officers.

The houses built in 1968 have never been renovated since they were built.

In addition to the houses being old and dilapidated, they also lack the capacity to accommodate all the 102 warders who are stationed at the correctional facility.

The issue has forced some warders to share one room.

“All the grass thatched houses are full, anyone coming will have to construct their own shelter at his place of choice, warders put their beds and mosquito nets and just sleep outside like dogs,” said one officer on condition of anonymity.

The officers also decry the absence of privacy that has led to broken homes at the correctional facility.

In addition, the officers lamented that the hygienic conditions at the facility are deplorable, noting that the only latrine at the facility is full and emitting a foul smell. They are now expressing fears that the condition could lead to an outbreak of diseases.

Lodwar Prison County Commander Rashid Powon admitted that the prison facility is in a pathetic state, adding that the government has not been allocating money to prisons.

He noted that his personal efforts to get money from the government for the facility have been in vain and appealed to well wishers to assist by constructing houses for his staff.

Lodwar Prison currently holds 569 inmates and has a total of 102 prison warders both male and female.