The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Correctional Services, Dr. Salome Beacco, has called for stronger partnerships and coordinated efforts in a renewed push to transform Kenya’s correctional system. Speaking during a stakeholder engagement forum in Nairobi, Dr. Beacco emphasized the importance of collaboration in delivering meaningful and sustainable reforms.
Held under the theme “Partnerships for Impact,” the forum brought together key players, including representatives from the diplomatic community, Kenya Prisons Services, Probation and Aftercare Services, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The PS highlighted that real change in the correctional landscape could only be achieved through joint efforts and shared responsibility.
“Our presence here affirms a vital truth: real, lasting change is never achieved in isolation. It is forged in the spirit of collaboration,” Dr. Beacco said. “Our purpose is clear—to create pathways for rehabilitation and reintegration that are effective, inclusive, and sustainable for the common good.”
Dr. Beacco underlined the scale of the task ahead, noting that over 55,000 individuals are admitted into custodial correctional facilities annually, while more than 100,000 are placed under non-custodial supervision. She urged stakeholders to look beyond the statistics and focus on the human potential behind each number.
“Let us foster open dialogue, co-create solutions, and measure success not just quantitatively, but by changed lives and restored communities,” she said.
The PS also outlined three strategic pillars guiding the Department’s transformation agenda:
- Legal and Institutional Strengthening
- Rehabilitation and Social Protection
- Economic Empowerment with Environmental Sustainability
She reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to align ongoing reforms with the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and international human rights standards. As part of this modernization drive, plans are underway to digitize correctional services through the development of an Offender Management Information System, aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency.
Dr. Beacco described effective rehabilitation as not only a moral imperative but also a cornerstone of national stability, public safety, and inclusive development. She called on all stakeholders to remain actively engaged and committed to a shared vision of a transformed, humane, and forward-looking correctional system.
Written By Rodney Mbua
