NAIROBI, September 5 – President Mwai Kibaki has appointed Nairobi Provincial Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Chief Isaiah Osugo as the new Commissioner of Prisons.
Osugo replaced Gilbert Omondi who has retired.
A statement from the Presidential Press Service also named George Macgoye as the deputy Prisons Commissioner.
“These appointments take effect immediately,” the statement read in part.
Osugo is a career police officer who has served various positions.
He served as the Nairobi Central Divisional CID chief before he was promoted and transferred to Provincial CID chief in Eastern province.
In 2005, he was transferred back to Nairobi in the same capacity where he has served until his latest appointment.
Macgoye was serving at the Administration Police department as the Deputy Commandant before he was redeployed to the Ministry of Public Works as the Under Secretary.
The appointments come as the Government plans to implement a report on a task force appointed by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to investigate problems facings warders and the entire prison system.
Kenyans will be watching to see how best Osugo and Macgoye will transform the department that hit newspaper headlines three months ago when warders downed tools to protest poor pay and working conditions.
A task force headed by former Cabinet Minister Marsen Madoka points out to various challenges facing the department.
Key among them is the lack of proper housing and low pay for the warders who are charged with the responsibility of looking after hardcore criminals convicted or remanded.
Although Osugo was not immediately available to comment on his new appointment, some police officers said they were proud to be represented by one of their own at the Prisons department.
Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe said the appointment was a demonstration of the confidence the Head of State has in the police force.
“We are proud of this. It is a demonstration of the confidence the government has in the force and the expertise amongst our officers,” he told Capital News.
