Police officers help inmates run phone scams, fraud, and drug rings - Maraga report

Dubbed the 'Maraga Report' — compiled three years ago by a task force appointed by President William Ruto to recommend reforms for police — it highlighted how corruption has permeated the correctional institutions, crippling integrity in administering services.

During their deliberations, the task force was informed that some prison operations are run like "family affairs" since the senior leadership of the Service is largely disconnected from the daily realities of junior officers.

"The Taskforce was informed that corruption deeply permeates every aspect of KPS from recruitment, promotions, deployment, transfers to procurement and issuance of stores," the report read in part.

"Such are the levels of nepotism and corruption in recruitment into the KPS that several officers have had their family members employed in the Service."

It also learnt that there are widespread reports of persistent collusion between rogue prison officers and prisoners in the running of phone scams, fraud, petty trade and drug trafficking from precincts of prisons.

The taskforce cited how the revelations show a severely compromised Service that is not able to perform its core role mandate of correction and rehabilitation.

Low pay, poor working and living conditions, outdated tools and equipment, lack of support for welfare concerns, among other issues, were cited as the main causes of ineptitude and low morale. 

It also sought to refine reforms recommended by the Madoka Committee in 2008, which probed severe systemic challenges within Kenya's correctional facilities, including severe congestion, poor living conditions, and human rights issues

Maraga's committee found that the reforms made by the Madoka Committee hit a snag since the issues dogging the prison service have been implemented in a patchwork, and a lack of commitment to instil reforms remains a critical impediment to transformational change in the Service. 

It recommended that a fresh vetting should be undertaken to address leadership and corruption challenges within 6 months of publication of the report. 

While releasing the report, Maraga lamented failure by the government to fully implement the reforms, urging fair competition and appointments made on merit to streamline national security.

He had previously challenged President Ruto to discharge his constitutional and administrative duty by releasing the report, which he submitted on November 16, 2023. Failure to do so, he threatened to release it to the public.