Wanini Kireri, woman who pushed prison reforms dies

Prisons Staff Training College commandant Wanini Kireri. [Willis Awandu, Standard]

Prisons Staff Training College commandant Wanini Kireri has died, just a few months after launching her second book on reforms in correctional facilities.

Kireri passed on yesterday at AAR Hospital along Kiambu Road. She will be remembered as the first woman to head the training college.

Because of her dedication, the Senior Assistant Commissioner General of Prisons won several awards among them Elder of The Spear (EBS) 2020, (ICPA) Outstanding Correctional Service Employee Award- 2019, Public Servant of The Year Award 2015, Heroes Award 2014, Special Recognition on Women’s Day 2014 and Xtreeme Teeneez -Life Time achievement 2014 among others.

“It is with deep sorrow that the Kenya Prisons Service wishes to inform the public of the unfortunate demise of the commandant, Prisons Staff Training College- Ruiru, SACGP Wanini Kireri. She was a gallant, dedicated, selfless and committed officer. Her illustrious career saw her serve in various capacities,” said Commissioner General of Prisons Brig (Rtd) John Warioba in a statement.

Last December, Kireri launched her second book The Disruptor in a function attended by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. 

“I am proud to release my second book, Leadership Through the Eyes of a Prisons Officer, which contains nuggets of wisdom gathered in my long professional journey,” said Kireri

Kireri joined the Kenya Prisons Service in 1982 as a cadet officer and was posted to Langata Women Prisons raising through ranks. In 1986, she was promoted and transferred to Embu Women Prisons as the officer in charge.

In 1993, she was promoted to Superintendent of Prisons and then transferred to the Prisons College as a Senior Lecturer.

Thirteen years later, she was moved to Shimo la Tewa Maximum Prisons, as the first female officer in charge of a male-only prisoner’s institution. In 2010, Kireri was transferred to Nairobi as the Regional Prisons Commander. 

In 2017, she moved from Nairobi Region to Prisons Headquarters as director, legal directorate  before moving to the Ruiru based training college a year later.

She is credited with the transformation of prisons, including formal education for inmates, an initiative that was supported fully by well-wishers who provided stationery for inmates.

“Looking back through my journey of about 40 years, my proudest moments include witnessing the prisons adopt reform programmes that I introduced, getting testimonies from former inmates who have reformed as a result of these programmes, and being honoured nationally and internationally. I am humbled,” she once said.