The government plans to relocate Kisii Main GK Prison from the town to Nyanturago, a rural area in Nyaribari Chache constituency.

This move aims to create space for the expansion of the town and facilitate the implementation of development projects that are more beneficial to Kisii residents

The Principal Secretary for Correctional Services Mary Muthoni conducted a heuristic mission in Kisii on Wednesday to initiate plans for the prison's relocation.

Correctional Services PS Mary Muthoni during her visit on Kisii Main Prison. PHOTO/COURTESY

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Kisii town has high congestion, a large population, and limited land, which hinders the implementation of development projects by both county and national governments.

Muthoni's mission was to implement a presidential directive by President William Ruto, who requested the Ministry of Interior - State Department for Correctional Services to commence the relocation of Kisii Prison.

The PS stated that the President's directive was in response to the need for modalities to move the prison to a more viable and expansive land.

The new location will facilitate farming and other activities.

“The President was here the other day, and he directed that we look into modalities on how we can move the prison to another land, maybe more viable and expansive. In the new land, it will be possible to do farming and other things,”Muthoni said.

During his recent three-day tour of Kisii, Ruto met with elected leaders and promised numerous development initiatives.

Kisii Governor Simba Arati proposed relocating the main prison in the county to Nyanturago to free up space in the congested town.


The county government has identified over 15 acres of land for the relocation.

Muthoni emphasized the need for concerted efforts to address land-related issues in Kisii to decongest the main prison in the county.

She observed that the facility holds many petty offenders, yet their issues could have been resolved at the family level if addressed promptly.

The PS also noted that correctional facilities across the country were overcrowded with petty offenders due to the tendency to take even minor offenses to court instead of having them solves through arbitration.

Muthoni also held a brief meeting with various stakeholders at the Kisii County Commissioner's office, including Kisii Central Sub County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo, Police Commander Charles Kases, Kisii Prisons In-Charge Oliver Rapando, County Criminal Investigations Officer Linah Kabaila, County Secretary James Ntabo, County Lands Executive Grace Nyarangi, and other departmental officers.

She emphasized the need for National Government Administration officers to involve the prison department in their barazas to enable them to engage with residents.


"Kisii particularly has very many cases pertaining to land. We can reduce the petty offenders in our correctional facilities by sensitising our people on the need to solve small cases before they get to court," the PS said.

"We need our people to understand the law clearly. We need them to know what led their relatives, friends and neighbours to prison so that they do not repeat the same mistakes.”

The PS is on a nationwide tour of prison facilities to understand the challenges faced by prisoners and staff.