Today, Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance. and the Nakuru Legal Aid team, was honored to participate in the official launch of the Ustawi Network at Nakuru Main Prison, a bold and timely initiative aimed at strengthening rehabilitation and access to justice within correctional facilities.
The launch marked the introduction of two key rehabilitation programs: T𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘅 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (𝗦𝗢𝗧𝗣) and T𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (𝗘𝗜𝗦𝗣). These programs are designed to address pressing issues affecting inmates, with a particular focus on the rising cases of sexual offences and the often-overlooked needs of elderly inmates.
Speaking during the launch, the Officer in Charge at Nakuru Main Prison Mr. Gerald Gichunge commended the initiative as a timely intervention.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦,” 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘎𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦.
CEDGG CEO, Masese Kemunche, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to promoting justice and human rights, noting that CEDGG is proud to be a partner of the Ustawi Network.
“𝘈𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 ,𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥.
“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘳𝘶 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘪𝘥 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴.”
Madam Jane Kuria, CEO Ustawi Network emphasized the importance of addressing sexual offences from their root causes:
“𝘚𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦.”
As part of the launch event, the Nakuru Legal Aid team, including trained paralegals, law students, and legal professionals, conducted an interactive legal aid session with remandees. The session allowed inmates to ask pressing legal questions, particularly concerning their charges and the judicial process.
Most inquiries revolved around legal procedures, rights, and case outcomes. A significant number of cases were related to defilement, followed by drug trafficking, arson, assault, creating disturbances, obtaining by false pretenses, attempted murder, rape, and theft.
The legal team responded with clarity and compassion, offering free legal guidance and reinforcing the importance of due process. The session not only met an immediate need but also underscored the vital role that legal empowerment plays in the rehabilitation process.
Today’s collaboration was a testament to the power of partnerships in promoting access to justice for the underserved. CEDGG is committed to continuing this journey standing with the incarcerated, promoting the rule of law, and ensuring no one is left behind in the pursuit of justice.
#AccessToJustice #UstawiNetwork #PrisonReform #LegalAid #HumanRights #NakuruPrison #HakiNaUongoziBora
