Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki, has said the adoption of modern technologies and green solutions remains a critical enabler of national development.
Speaking in Nairobi during the official opening of the Fourth Edition of Correctional Service Week 2026, the Deputy President said the government recognises technology as a key driver of economic growth, institutional efficiency, innovation, and improved public service delivery.
He noted that this year’s theme, ‘Transforming Correctional Services through Technology and Green Solutions’, aligns with the national development agenda and underscores the urgent need to modernise public institutions, strengthen service delivery, and pursue sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the country.
“Our national development priorities, anchored in the five pillars of agricultural transformation, support for micro, small and medium enterprises, universal health coverage, affordable housing, and the digital superhighway and creative economy, demonstrate our commitment to building a modern, inclusive and productive economy,” stated the Deputy President.
Kindiki urged institutions to adopt secure, integrated and data-driven systems, leveraging Artificial Intelligence and data analytics, to enhance operational efficiency and improve rehabilitation programmes.
He further emphasised the importance of upholding human dignity, protecting personal data, and strengthening cybersecurity, to safeguard critical infrastructure.
The Deputy President called on the State Department for Correctional Services to align its digital initiatives with the National Digital Master Plan 2022–2032, the National e-Commerce Strategy 2023, and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030, alongside applicable cybersecurity and data-protection frameworks.
While commending the State Department for its efforts to reform the country’s correctional system, he underscored the importance of these reforms to national security, the administration of justice and the realisation of a safer, more just and prosperous Kenya.
Principal Secretary (PS) for Correctional Services, Dr Salome Beacco, reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to transforming correctional institutions, restoring dignity, rehabilitating offenders, facilitating their successful reintegration into society, and enhancing lasting public safety.
She observed that achieving these objectives requires cooperation, coordination, and multisectoral collaboration among government institutions and other stakeholders.
“At the core of our mandate is the responsibility to promote a just and secure society through effective offender management and the administration of justice, guided by our pursuit of excellence in correctional services,” she affirmed.
Kenya’s Special Envoy for Climate Change in the Executive Office of the President, Ambassador Ali Mohammed, highlighted that technology and sustainability could transform the operations of correctional institutions, improve offender rehabilitation, and better prepare individuals for life beyond custody.
He noted that the growing challenges posed by climate change make the transformation of correctional services particularly urgent, calling for sustainable approaches that strengthen institutional resilience and environmental responsibility.
Also present at the ceremony were the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs, Committee Chairperson, George Murugara; Principal Secretary for Devolution, Michael Lenasalon; Commissioner General of Prisons, Patrick M. Aranduh, Secretary of the Probation and Aftercare Service, Shadrack Kavutai, Community Service Orders Chairperson, Lady Justice Margaret Muigai; Programme Director of The Prem Rawat Foundation–USA, Willow Baker; and UNODC Deputy Regional Representative, Koen Marquering, among other stakeholders.
The three-day conference has brought together correctional practitioners, national and international actors, experts and other stakeholders to deliberate on the future of correctional services in Kenya and explore innovative approaches to sectoral transformation.
By Michael Omondi
