The State Department for Correctional Services in partnership with the Dawoodi Bohra community has opened a new library at the Mombasa Remand Prison to strengthen rehabilitation through education.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Salome Muhia Beacco the Principal Secretary, State Department for Correctional Services said the library was a step toward improving access to learning resources for inmates.
She thanked the Dawoodi Bohra community for sponsoring the project, noting that the group donated more than 800 books, 10 desks and 300 pairs of shoes to the prison.
The community is also supporting a borehole project at Shimo la Tewa Medium Prison to expand access to water.
Dr. Beacco said education remains central to rehabilitation efforts. “This facility is a place where learning fuels transformation and where individuals in our care can rediscover their potential,” she said. She added that literacy strengthens confidence and provides a pathway to reintegration.
“Education holds the power to change lives. It equips individuals with the tools to rebuild their future and re-enter society as productive citizens,” Beacco added.
She said the government continues to improve conditions across correctional facilities through ongoing reforms. Recent measures towards this end, she said include the distribution of 800 beds to Kiambu Prison, 260 to Kajiado Prison and 450 to Nairobi West Prison.
She noted that the Dawoodi Bohra community had pledged Sh300,000 to support further improvements, including the purchase of additional beds.
Dr Beacco urged inmates to take full advantage of the new library. “This space is an investment in resilience and human potential,” she said adding: “We will add more computers to support e-learning to ensure every inmate has access to tools that support personal growth.”
She noted that the library forms part of the State Department’s commitment to placing rehabilitation at the centre of correctional management.
She said access to books on vocational skills, cultural knowledge and personal development will support efforts to reduce recidivism and promote reintegration.
The PS commended the Dawoodi Bohra community for their broader contribution to national development, citing their work in education, environmental conservation and humanitarian support.
Mombasa Women Empowered Network Chairperson Amina Abdalah donated a desktop computer to support digital learning in the facility.
She encouraged regular review of non-violent cases to address congestion, saying periodic assessments every two months would help ease overcrowding in remand and prison facilities.
The partnership between the Dawoodi bora community and the state department for correctional services has not only restored a room filled with books but also restored confidence, dignity and hope among the inmates at Mombasa remand prison.
by Hadrine Joyce
