Also known as: Prison Service
Kenya Prisons Service — correctional institution operating across the country, subject to recent investigations over payroll fraud and internal reform assessments.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Kenya Prisons Service
Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
Audio By VocalizeThe Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is seeking to recover 7.6 acres of public land in Milimani, Kisumu City, valued at approximately Sh790 million, which was grabbed from the Kenya Prisons Service and converted into private ownership through fraudule …
EACC seeks to recover Sh790 million Prisons land in KisumuCitizen Digital
… Of this, Internal Security and National Administration received Ksh.63.9 billion, while the Kenya Prisons Service was allocated Ksh.42.6 billion. …
Nairobi police stations plunged into darkness over millions in unpaid electricity billsThe Standard
… The Kenya Prisons Service and squatters are embroiled in a dispute over 1200 acres of land spread across the county. …
Squatters block private investor from developing disputed landThe Standard
… Officers drawn from the National Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Prisons Service, some in plain clothes, escorted the demonstrators, some wearing scarves in national colours, out of the cathedral into the Nkrumah Road and Elephant Tusks and back to Treasury S …
Armed officers escort protesters along the streetsThe Standard
… commission qualified as gross human rights violations for reparations, as some were isolated criminal acts,” she said.The framework also extends to security officers who were affected during protest periods, including members of the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service …
Protest victims to be compensated from next weekCapital News
… The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration was allocated Sh63.9 billion, while the Kenya Prisons Service received Sh42.6 billion. …
Govt allocates Sh3.9bn to village elders as security budget crosses Sh567bnCapital News
… The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration received Sh63.9 billion, while the Kenya Prisons Service was allocated Sh42.6 billion. …
Kenya allocates Sh567bn to security, crossing half-trillion mark in 2026/27 budgetCitizen Digital
… Others were Kenya Prisons Service Commissioner-General Patrick Aranduh, Kenya Wildlife Service Director-General Erastus Kanga, Principal Secretaries, MPs and MCAs, among others.
Ruto apologises for decades of marginalisation, pledges to transform Northern KenyaCitizen Digital
… Preliminary witness accounts indicate that a single armed officer believed to have been dressed in a Kenya Prisons Service uniform may have been involved in the shooting. …
IPOA launches probe into deaths linked to fuel protestsThe Standard
… iminary findings indicate Karuu was among demonstrators when he sustained a gunshot wound at about 1 pm near the Full Gospel Churches of Kenya.“Preliminary witness accounts indicate the involvement of a single armed officer believed to have been dressed in a Kenya Prisons Service …
IPOA begins probe into deaths, shootings linked to fuel protestsAt an inter-agency thanksgiving service in Machakos, religious and government leaders urged security and disciplined services officers to prioritise mental health and seek psychological, professional and spiritual support when facing work-related challenges, while upholding integrity and respect for human dignity.
18 October 2026 · Capital News →
At an inter-agency thanksgiving service in Machakos, religious and government leaders urged security and disciplined services officers to prioritise mental health and seek psychological, professional and spiritual support when facing work-related challenges, while upholding integrity and respect for human dignity.
18 October 2026 · Capital News →
The Public Service Cabinet Secretary has sent 84 human resource officers from various state departments on 30-day forced leave following a July DCI handover of a state payroll audit revealing Sh6.2 billion in suspected fraud. The Standard's earlier investigation exposed a Sh41 million payroll heist at the Department for Correctional Services where a rogue accountant transferred allowances to nearly 1,000 officers in a single day in December 2025.
18 October 2026 · The Standard →
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Ruku has revoked payroll access for 84 human resources officers and ordered them on mandatory 30-day leave following investigations into suspected irregularities in payroll systems across the Ministry of Health, Kenya Police Service and Kenya Prisons Service. The measure is intended to allow forensic investigations into flagged transactions that may have resulted in loss of public funds.
16 October 2026 · Capital News →
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has ordered 84 human resource officers from the Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Police Service and two departments in the Ministry of Health to step aside for 30 working days as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations investigates suspected payroll fraud estimated at Ksh.6.2 billion. The officers have been implicated in suspected irregularities identified in a government payroll audit and DCI report dated October 7, 2026.
16 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Inmates at Kamiti Medium Security Prison are being encouraged to take up tree growing and nursery management as practical skills for earning a living after release, under a partnership between Kenya Prisons Service and Equity Bank Kenya that links environmental conservation with rehabilitation.
12 October 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto is expected to attend Mazingira Day celebrations in Trans Nzoia County on Saturday as the government launches a nationwide campaign targeting 17.24 million trees. The exercise involves government agencies, schools, communities, village elders, prison authorities and the National Youth Service across 79 sites in 31 counties.
10 October 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's government has identified 109 organised criminal gangs operating across the country, up from 89 declared illegal in 2016, warning that their involvement in violence and use of youth groups for political intimidation pose a security threat as the country approaches the 2027 General Election. Western Kenya has 38 of these groups, the Rift Valley 22, and Nairobi 20.
6 October 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's government has identified 109 organised criminal gangs operating across the country and warned against the use of youth groups for political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election. Between January and August 2026, security agencies arrested 1,827 suspects linked to goonism and organised crime, securing 729 convictions.
6 October 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's Government is conducting a six-day environmental campaign ending October 10 to plant 17.24 million trees across schools, mining areas, highways and communities. The Government will count, geo-tag and certify all trees planted and conduct 90-day survival checks, plus track tree-growing pledges quarterly.
6 October 2026 · The Standard →
The Government has set a target of planting 17.24 million trees during this year's National Mazingira Week to restore degraded ecosystems and move closer to its goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. The week-long programme involves educational institutions, mining area restoration, and highway greening, with the Cabinet Secretary emphasizing that survival of planted trees matters more than the number planted.
6 October 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya is targeting over 17 million trees during this year's Mazingira Week, which runs from October 5–10, as part of efforts to achieve a goal of growing 15 billion trees by 2032. The campaign involves seven planting streams across communities, government institutions, and educational institutions, with village elders leading one stream targeting 7.7 million trees across 77,252 villages.
5 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
As Kenya's volleyball transfer window closes, Kenya Prisons Women's Volleyball Club have opted against major signings, signing only young centre player Celestine Machuma, while rivals Kenya Pipeline and KCB Women strengthen their squads. Head coach Josp Barasa said the club's recruitment is tied to Kenya Prisons Service recruitment, which is not currently taking place.
5 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya Women Senators Association has condemned the impregnation of 36 schoolgirls in Bungoma County and called for thorough investigations and prosecution of the men involved. The association said it will engage Advocates to ensure the families of the schoolgirls receive justice.
21 September 2026 · The Standard →
A 40-year-old Senior Superintendent of Prisons attached to the Central Region Headquarters in Nyeri was found dead in his vehicle on Sunday morning in an open field behind Spur Mall in Ruiru, Juja Sub-County, sparking a police investigation.
7 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A task force investigating Kenya Prisons Service reforms found that inmates in correctional facilities across the country have inadequate uniforms, with most wearing tattered attire. The task force noted that some prisoners could not be assigned duties outside prison because they lacked appropriate formal wear.
7 September 2026 · The Standard →
A Senior Superintendent of Prisons named Eric Kiarie Wainaina, 40, was found dead inside a silver Nissan Wingroad in an open field behind Spur Mall in Juja, Kiambu County, on Sunday morning. Police discovered empty bottles of Chrome and hypertension medication in the vehicle.
7 September 2026 · The Standard →
Police officers and youths from informal settlements in Kisumu met for a football match at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex as part of a community-policing initiative aimed at rebuilding trust and tackling insecurity in the lakeside city.
5 September 2026 · The Standard →
A report on the Kenya Prisons Service reveals a service in crisis, marked by corruption, horrific living conditions, and outdated colonial era laws.
3 September 2026 · The Standard →
A report on the Kenya Prisons Service reveals a service in crisis, marked by corruption, horrific living conditions, and outdated colonial era laws.
3 September 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's police transport system has been identified as a critical weakness in the delivery of security services. The National Taskforce on Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service and Other Reforms for Members of the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service, chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga, examined the problem in detail in its 2023 report.
2 September 2026 · The Standard →
Retired Chief Justice David Maraga published a police reform taskforce report on social media after the government withheld it for nearly three years. The 200-plus recommendations address issues facing police officers, prison warders, and other state personnel regarding housing, pay, and training.
1 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A National Taskforce on Police Reforms report released by former Chief Justice David Maraga details how Kenya Prisons Service officers collude with inmates to run phone scams, fraud, and drug rings, describing corruption as deeply embedded in recruitment, promotions, and procurement.
1 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Former Chief Justice David Maraga says he will make public the National Taskforce on Police Reforms report, which he submitted to President William Ruto on November 16, 2023, after calling on Ruto to release it seven days prior. Maraga states he has the responsibility to disclose the report and is in final consultations with stakeholders before announcing next steps.
28 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
President Ruto is unveiling a new Kenya Police Service uniform for General Duty officers starting August 31, but the move has drawn criticism for prioritising cosmetic changes while stalling on police reforms recommended by former Chief Justice David Maraga's taskforce. Maraga set an August 18 deadline for the government to publish his reform report and threatened to release it himself if the government failed to do so.
27 August 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto will unveil a new police uniform on Friday as more than 6,000 police constables graduate from the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County. The new uniform, designed based on a 2023 public participation exercise in which officers rejected the current deep-blue uniform, will first be worn by the graduating officers before being gradually introduced to other General Duty officers in the Kenya Police Service.
26 August 2026 · The Standard →
President Ruto's administration is improving the welfare of prison officers through better pay, healthcare and housing as part of efforts to modernise Kenya's correctional services. Entry-level prison constable remuneration has risen by more than 36 per cent following two phases of salary review, with Phase III taking effect on July 1, 2026, and prison officers have been enrolled under the Usalama Cover health scheme.
24 August 2026 · Capital News →
President Ruto announced that the government is improving prison officers' welfare through improved salaries, healthcare, and better housing. He said salary reviews have raised entry-level prison constable pay by more than 36 per cent and maximum salaries by approximately 24 per cent in phases I and II, with Phase III taking effect on 1 July 2026.
24 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told Deputy President Kithure Kindiki that President William Ruto will begin a second term "together with you" after next year's elections, signalling a projected Ruto-Kindiki ticket for 2027 amid ongoing UDA-ODM coalition negotiations where the Deputy President position is a key bargaining point.
24 August 2026 · Capital News →
The Power of Mercy Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 56 of 2025) has passed second reading in the National Assembly. Moved by Marsabit County MP Naomi Waqo, the bill seeks to operationalise Article 133 of the Constitution and provide a legal framework for four forms of presidential mercy: free or conditional pardons, respites from punishment, substitution of less severe punishments, and remission of all or part of a punishment.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →
The Ruiru Prison Farm Irrigation Project in Kiambu County, a Ksh.73 million joint venture between the State Department for Irrigation and Kenya Prisons Service, is expected to generate more than Ksh.20 million from coffee production while producing approximately 18 million tree seedlings annually valued at more than Ksh.75 million.
21 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →