Riots at Kamiti Maximum Prisons over search for contraband goods

By Cyrus Ombati

Nairobi, Kenya: A section of prisoners at Kamiti Maximum Prisons Thursday morning rioted in protest of a mounted search for contraband goods, forcing warders to fire warning shots to scare the inmates.

Commissioner General of prisons Isaiah Osugo confirmed the incident stating that the prisoners did not want to surrender the contraband goods and resisted by attacking the officers with their waste and tried to escape by scaling the walls which prompted the warders to use force.

The commissioner ordered the closure of the main canteen at the prison after it emerged that it is used to smuggle in contraband goods. He noted that some prisoners have been colluding with warders to own and use mobile phones to extort money from unsuspecting Kenyans. There has been an increase in cases of threats from the prison and others by use of mobile phones hence prompting the search.

One mobile phone and a hack saw was recovered from the inmates.  Masts have been placed at the institutions to jam communication but it seems they are not working.