Mudavadi: Prison rehabilitation can drive jobs creation, economic growth

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for greater investment in skills development and rehabilitation programmes for offenders, saying correctional services can contribute to employment creation, economic growth and safer communities.

Mudavadi said equipping offenders with relevant skills and creating pathways to employment and enterprise would help them reintegrate into society while supporting the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Speaking on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the fourth Correctional Services Week at the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, Mudavadi said rehabilitation should focus on addressing the causes of offending and preparing inmates to return to society as responsible citizens.

“At the heart of everything we do lies a deeper purpose: facilitating genuine change in human lives,” he said.

“Effective correctional services address the root causes of offending, reduce reoffending and prepare people to return as responsible members of society.” he added.

Mudavadi emphasised the need for continuity between custodial and non-custodial interventions, saying rehabilitation should extend beyond prison walls to involve families and communities.

He said successful reintegration required coordinated support systems that would help former offenders access opportunities and avoid returning to criminal activities.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary noted that correctional institutions had a role beyond keeping offenders in custody, arguing that they could help develop human capital and promote inclusive economic growth.

“By equipping offenders with relevant skills, promoting productive engagement and opening pathways to employment and enterprise, correctional services contribute directly to inclusive growth, human capital development and safer communities,” he said.

“They are not dens for condemned people. Offenders can be disciplined to become better people with great contribution and impact within societies once they are integrated back to communities.” Mudavadi remarked.

His remarks place rehabilitation within the broader economic transformation agenda, which seeks to expand opportunities and improve livelihoods across different sections of society.

Mudavadi also called for the modernisation of correctional services, saying an efficient and rehabilitative system was important to Kenya’s ambition of becoming a globally competitive and prosperous nation.

He urged authorities to draw lessons from international best practices while ensuring reforms remained consistent with Kenya’s constitutional values and social context.

“A modern, efficient and rehabilitative system is one of the quiet pillars of Kenya’s ambition to become a globally competitive and prosperous nation,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary’s remarks came during a three-day event held under the theme, “Transforming Correctional Services through Technology and Green Solutions.”

The event brought together government officials, justice sector representatives and development partners to discuss reforms in correctional institutions.

Mudavadi said the success of the reforms would depend on implementation rather than policy announcements, urging stakeholders to translate the resolutions adopted during the event into measurable improvements.

“As Government we continue to work towards ensuring that respect for institutions that uphold human rights and anchor humanity. We want to remain to be a country that respect and adheres to the rule of law both at home and internationally. Justice should be part of the pillar that guides how we engage as a nation.” Mudavadi emphasized.

He said the adoption of the Correctional Services Week 2026 Communiqué and Resolutions should mark the beginning of concrete action rather than the end of discussions.

“The real test of any reform agenda is implementation. That is an important milestone, but it must mark the beginning of action, not the end of conversation,” he said.

The Prime CS further called on the State Department for Correctional Services, technical teams and other stakeholders to establish a clear implementation framework with defined responsibilities and measurable outcomes.

Mudavadi also urged development partners to sustain their engagement beyond the annual event and align their support with the department’s priorities.

He said transformation required institutional ownership, professional leadership and correctional officers who understood their responsibilities in implementing reforms.

The Cabinet Secretary maintained that the effectiveness of correctional services should be assessed by the quality of services delivered, the extent of rehabilitation achieved and the safety of communities.

“Ultimately, success will not be measured by the number of policies written or systems installed. It will be measured by the quality of service delivered, the depth of rehabilitation achieved, the sustainability of our institutions and the safer, more hopeful communities we help create,” he said.

State Department for Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco emphasized that as they appreciate digital transformation, Kenyans must recognize that smart correctional governance is more than acquiring technology. It is about restoring human dignity through innovation.

She said it call for the capacity to adopt, adapt and effectively utilize appropriate innovations; to upgrade professional skills; to reduce administrative drudgery and fatigue; and to unleash creativity.

“Our objective remains: to leverage ICT to strengthen records management, accountability, operational efficiency and evidence-informed decision-making.” She said.

On environmental sustainability, the Principal Secretary reaffirm the commitment to transitioning all correctional facilities to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other clean energy solutions as part of the Government’s green agenda.

“This is not just an environmental imperative; it is a health, economic, and human rights imperative. We invite development partners, the private sector and relevant government agencies to support this transition through appropriate technologies, financing and technical expertise.” She noted.

Mudavadi formally declared the fourth Correctional Services Week 2026 closed, urging stakeholders to strengthen cooperation across the justice sector and ensure the adopted resolutions translate into tangible benefits for correctional officers, offenders and the wider public.

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