State to recruit more women into prisons services, PS reveals 

By , May 1, 2025

Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Muhia-Beacco has announced that more women will be recruited into the Kenya Prisons Service as part of the ongoing national recruitment exercise, in a renewed effort to uphold the constitutional one-third gender rule. 

Speaking during an inspection tour of the recruitment exercise in Juja, the PS reiterated the department’s commitment to gender equity in the security sector, highlighting the critical need for greater female representation within correctional facilities. 

“We are determined to ensure that women get a fair chance in serving this country through the Prisons Service. Meeting the one-third gender threshold is not just a legal requirement—it is an essential part of building inclusive and effective institutions,” she said. 

Despite this commitment, the PS expressed concern over the low turnout of applicants in the Juja area, particularly among women. 

She called on young women across the country to seize the opportunity and apply for positions in the service, noting that the correctional services sector offers meaningful and stable career paths. 

The recruitment exercise, which is taking place across all counties, seeks to fill various positions within the Kenya Prisons Service, with an emphasis on diversity and merit. 

The PS also urged local leaders and community stakeholders to help mobilise youth, especially women, to participate in national service opportunities, including in security and corrections. 

The ongoing recruitment is part of a wider government initiative to strengthen security services while aligning with constitutional mandates on representation and equality. 

In the ongoing recruitment drive, the Prisons department plans to recruit more than 3,000 personnel, and those who want to join the service have to be Kenyans, have a mean grade of D plus and be aged between 18 and 28. 

Elsewhere, in Molo, hundreds of youths were turned away and their hopes of joining the Kenya Prison Service dashed as only five of them were recruited. 

The successful candidates included four men and a woman in an event that drew hundreds of young persons from the region to Molo Stadium, where the exercise was conducted. 

No drugs 

The exercise was conducted under the supervision of Senior Superintendent Jeremiah Kahuria. According to Kahuria, the five successful candidates met all the necessary requirements after undergoing thorough evaluation. 

Kahuria advised the youth aspiring to join the disciplined forces to stay away from alcohol and maintain discipline in order to meet the physical and moral standards required in the service. 

“The recruitment process is highly competitive, and we only pick the best based on merit. Substance abuse is one of the key disqualifiers,” he stated. 

The event attracted participants from across the four administrative divisions of Molo Sub-county, which include Molo, Elburgon, Turi, and Marioshoni, highlighting the region’s strong interest in public service careers. 

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