There was tension at Naivasha GK Prison on Wednesday evening after about 3,000 inmates caused a disturbance following the death of a fellow prisoner.
The protest involved both those serving life and death sentences.
The inmates refused to eat their meals and later clashed with prison warders inside the facility, which is known for being highly guarded.
The protest was triggered by claims that the inmate who died was assaulted by warders.
The inmates alleged that the man, described as middle-aged, was mishandled by officers before his death.
According to them, he suffered injuries during the assault, which led to his passing. They said this was not an isolated case and accused the prison staff of mistreating inmates for a long time.
As a result, they vowed to continue boycotting food and refusing to report to work until justice is served for their fallen colleague.
When contacted by Citizen Digital, Gerald Ongume, the officer in charge of the prison, dismissed the claims. He said that the unrest was caused by a small group of inmates who were against working and decided to use the death to incite others.
Ongume stated that the inmate did not die inside the prison as alleged. According to him, the man had been taken to Naivasha Sub-County Hospital, where he had been admitted for a few days before passing away.
The prison authorities insisted that the proper procedures were followed and denied any wrongdoing by the officers. Ongume also noted that his team managed to control the situation and restore calm before things got out of hand.
He pointed out that some prisoners were trying to create chaos for their own reasons and took advantage of the situation.
However, the inmates remain firm in their claims. Several of them say they witnessed the assault and believe the man would still be alive if he had not been mistreated.
They want those responsible held accountable and have refused to resume normal activities until action is taken. The situation has put the prison administration under pressure as calls for investigations grow louder.
This incident has also raised fresh concerns about how prisoners are treated in Kenyan correctional facilities.
Many are now asking for a thorough and independent investigation to uncover the truth and ensure justice is served.
For now, the inmates at Naivasha prison are still refusing to cooperate, demanding that the death of their fellow inmate not be ignored.
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