The government says it will not risk the current COVID-19 situation in the country, by opening the prisons to visitors without proper precautionary measures.

In a presser at Garissa main Prison, Interior Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu said, until all the prisons in the country have facilities that are safe.

“Until we are certain that all our prisons have facilities that are safe, then shall we announce the opening of prison cells to visitors. It will be the prerogative of the Ministry of Health to give us the final guidelines and authorization for visitations,” Guchu said.

Guchu has added that the government through the Ministries of Interior and Health is targeting to vaccinate all prisoners and staff across the country by the end of this week.

According to Guchu, 70 per cent of inmates countrywide have received their first dose of the covid-19 vaccine, while the remaining 30 per cent have received their second jab.

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“We are here to ascertain that the inmates, staff members and their families are all vaccinated by the end of this week. We are targeting to have 100,000 people vaccinated, during this exercise,” the CAS said.

The CAS added that in remote areas of Garissa county, the government intends to use the single-dose Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca in easily accessed areas.

The vaccination for inmates and prison's staff will lay the ground for the resumption of family visitation for inmates in the country's 133 correctional facilities that were suspended when COVID-19 was reported in the Country.

Guchu was accompanied by Commissioner General of Prison, Wycliffe Ogallo and the officials from the Ministry of Health.

They also made visits to Prisons in Wajir and Mandare to assess the readiness of prisons in regards to Covid-19 preparedness