President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of condolences to the departed Senior Assistant Commissioner of Prisons and first woman Commandant of Prisons Staff Training College Wanini Kireri.

In his message, Uhuru remembered Kireri as a trailblazer who broke the glass ceiling for Kenyan women serving in the prisons service through sheer hardwork, determination and discipline.

Uhuru regrets passing on of Wanini Kireri

The President regretted that death had robbed Kenya of one of her brightest stars whose decades of outstanding public service had helped uplift the profile of Kenya Prisons Service.

“Ms Wanini Kireri enlisted in the Kenya Prisons Service as a Cadet in 1982 and has over the years rose through the ranks to become Kenya’s highest positioned prisons officer, earning several accolades and decorations along the way,” State House said in a statement on behelf of the President.

She died after a short illness at AAR Hospital on Kiambu Road on Tuesday.

The Commissioner-General of Prisons John Warioba confirmed her death saying she passed on shortly past noon.

“It is with deep sorrow that the Kenya Prisons Service wishes to info the general public of the unfortunate demise of the commandant, Prisons Staff Training College- Ruiru, SACGP Wanii Kireri, EBS,” Warioba said in a statement.