Wanini Kireri, first female commandant of Prison Staff Training College, dies in Nairobi

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, Ms Kireri died on Tuesday at a hospital in Nairobi where she was undergoing treatment after a short illness.

The Commissioner-General of Kenya Prisons Brigadier (RTD) John Warioba mourned Mr. Kireri as a gallant, dedicated and selflesss officer.

"She was a gallant, dedicated, selfless and committed officer. Her illustrious career saw her serve in the service in various capacities. On my own behalf and on behalf of the Kenya Prisons Service. I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the family and the Kenya Prisons fraternity as I join them at this moment of grief," said Brigadier (RTD) Warioba in a statement.

Ms Kireri had served the Kenya Prisons Service since 1982 when she was enlisted as a cadet officer. This became the genesis of her journey in the Kenya Prisons.

Her first posting was at Lang’ata Women Prisons as a duty officer. 

In a previous interview with the #KenyaWomenSeries, Ms Kireri, who is credited for the transformation of prisons in Kenya, said it was at Lang’ata Women Prisons where she witnessed first-hand the suffering that inmates undergo.

“It’s at Lang’ata Women Prisons that I witnessed first-hand the deplorable conditions of prisons which the incarcerated women were facing, especially those who had been accompanied by their babies. Inadequate beddings, food, sanitary towels and dirty clothes were the norm in prison. This was a culture shock for me, and my heart sunk,” she said.

In 1986 she was promoted and transferred to Embu Women Prisons as the officer in charge.

Later in 1993 she got promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Prisons and then transferred to the Prisons College as a Senior Lecturer.

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

In 2017 she moved from the Nairobi Region to Prisons Headquarters as the Director, Legal Section. To nurture talents and invoke creativity among the inmates, she introduced dancing and drama competitions leading to some inmates becoming professional entertainers upon leaving the prisons.

She served as the Commandant of the Ruiru Prisons Staff Training College, since 2018, the first female to hold this position in Kenya.

In the interview done last year, Ms. Kireri said looking back through her journey of about 40 years her proudest moments include witnessing the prisons adopt reform programs that she introduced, getting testimonies from former inmates who have reformed as a result of these programs, and being honoured nationally and internationally.

Wanini Kireri is also the author of a book titled The Disruptor, which describes her journey through the Kenya prisons service.