Govt targets idle prison land for housing and food production
By Kiprono Keileb, January 13, 2026The government has set its sights on idle prison land as part of a wider plan to support affordable housing, boost food production, and improve the welfare of correctional services officers.
In a statement shared on X on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the move is part of this year’s priorities within the State Department for Correctional Services.
The plans were discussed during a meeting of the State Department for Correctional Services that was chaired by Murkomen on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
The meeting brought together senior officials from the correctional services department to review what the ministry hopes to achieve in 2026, how those goals will be implemented, and what challenges may slow progress.
According to Murkomen, the focus is on making better use of public resources, especially land that has remained unused for years, while also aligning the department with the government’s broader development agenda.
“This morning, I convened a meeting of the State Department for Correctional Services to review our priorities for the year and discuss strategies to effectively implement them,” the statement reads.
Murkomen said the review comes at a time when pressure is growing on government institutions to contribute more directly to national programmes such as affordable housing and food security.
He noted that correctional facilities across the country sit on large parcels of land, some of which can be put to productive use without affecting security or prison operations.
As he detailed the specific areas the department will focus on, Murkomen listed several projects and policy directions that are expected to shape the work of correctional services in the coming months.
“Key areas of focus include the implementation of Presidential Directives on freeing up prison land in select towns for the Affordable Housing Programme, fast-tracking the utilisation of underutilised prison land to boost food production, enhanced commercialisation of prison industries, construction of institutional houses for officers, and the completion of stalled and ongoing projects, among other issues,” Murkomen wrote.
The CS said the plans are meant to benefit both the public and officers working within the correctional system. By freeing up land in selected towns, the government hopes to support housing projects while also easing land pressure in urban areas.
Murkomen said increased food production on prison land is expected to cut costs and contribute to national food supplies.
Murkomen also pointed to the need to revive stalled projects and improve prison industries so they can generate more income.