Interior Security CS Fred Matiang'i has proposed moving of Kamiti and Lang'ata Women's Prisons from Nairobi County.
According to the CS, the prisons should be moved to Kitale or Bomet region while the Industrial Area Prison, Nairobi West Prison and Shimo La Tewa should also be transferred from the city.
He was speaking at the launch of the National Land Commission's 2021/2026 strategic plan in Nairobi where he opined that the land could be used to further development in these urban regions.
“Why should we have prisons in the middle of the city when we could use that prime land to develop and increase the amenities of the city? " Matiang'i posed.
New Location
Kamiti covers 1,200-acres while Lang'ata sits on about 50 acres of land after a huge chunk was grabbed.
The commission explained the plan to ensure the implementation of its mandate is guided as spelt out in the Constitution, statutory and policy provisions.
The controversial Ngong' Forest land had been allocated to Lang'ata Women's Prison in 1985.
Part of the land was used for construction and expansion of the prison and 34 acres remained unoccupied.
A report disclosed that the then officer in charge of the prisons department relinquished the remaining acres to the commissioner of lands for residential use.
But the land in question was in 1993 allocated to private entities including an MP from the Rift region.
