Uhuru mourns Wanini Kireri as the engine of prison reforms, orders building named after her

President Uhuru Kenyatta has eulogized the late Senior Assistant Commissioner General of Prisons, Wanini Kireri, as a critical player in far-reaching reforms in the Prisons Service.

In a message read during her final send-off on Thursday by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, President Kenyatta hailed the prisons boss for her innovations in transforming the correction facilities as well as empowering women in the sector.

The Head of State cited Wanini’s introduction of the beauty pageants programme, remote parenting and facilitation of children accompanying their mothers in Lang’ata Women Prison as some of the changes she spearheaded.

“Wanini valued her work and was always ready to give someone a second chance. Besides the many rehabilitation programmes she introduced in the prisons, she supported inmates to even publish books while incarcerated,” read the message.

In regard to her empowering nature, he underscored her work at the Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison for men which he said was a demonstration of her exemplary leadership and abilities that overrode gender barriers.

“We have lost a Kenyan who was inspiring and a role model especially to the young women of this country,” noted the President.

“The way she has managed the prison staff training college is unprecedented, again showing that women of this country have untapped potential and that they only need opportunities to deliver.”

At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief directed that one of the prime buildings at the Ruiru Prisons Staff Training Camp (PSTC) where she was a commandant be named after her in honour of her impact and services.

CS Matiang’i, on his part, commended Wanini’s leadership terming it a “rare blend of intelligence and charisma” that he said helped propel her through the ranks.

“This officer was right, dutiful and committed. We had even begun looking at her as a possible head of one of our agencies because of the sheer hard work, the high level of honesty, and how she delivered her assignments,” the CS remarked.

Wanini was laid to rest on Thursday at her rural home in Ndaiga, Laikipia County, after succumbing to a short illness on May 31, 2022, at a Nairobi hospital where she was undergoing treatment.