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Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has called out the state department for correctional services over the poor living conditions of various prisons in the country.

According to Gathungu, most of the prisons are staring at a crisis as they are facing a number of challenges including poor buildings, poor sanitation, stalled projects, and weak perimeter walls while others have failed to produce offenders in courts on time.

In the latest report for the financial year ending June 2022, Gathungu also raised concerns over various financial irregularities running in to billions of shillings including poor maintenance of motor vehicles, plant, machinery and equipment, understated pending bills, unsupported cash and cash equivalent amounting to Sh187.1 million as well as the encroachment of land belonging to five correctional facilities out of which four measures 2,483.4601 acres while one had unknown value.

The said pieces of land are currently being occupied by illegal settlers such as people, churches and other government institutions who continue to use such land for residential and commercial purposes.