President William Ruto Presides Over Prison Officers’ Pass-Out Parade, Calls for Reforms and Professionalism

President William Ruto today presided over a colourful pass-out parade for newly trained prison officers, urging them to uphold integrity, discipline, and human dignity as they join the Kenya Prisons Service. 

The ceremony, held at the Prisons Staff Training College, marked the successful completion of months of rigorous paramilitary, legal, and correctional training for hundreds of recruits who are now set to be deployed across the country.  

🎖️ A Day of Pride and Discipline 

The parade showcased sharp drill formations, inspection of the guard of honour, and the awarding of trophies to top-performing recruits. President Ruto commended the graduating officers for their resilience and commitment throughout the demanding training period. 

Addressing the officers, the Head of State emphasized that their role extends beyond confinement and security. 

He reminded the officers that modern correctional services focus on rehabilitation, reintegration, and restoring dignity to inmates — values aligned with Kenya’s constitutional principles.
🔐 Commitment to Prison Reforms
President Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving conditions within correctional facilities across Kenya. He acknowledged challenges facing the sector, including overcrowding, limited resources, and infrastructure gaps.
The President noted that ongoing reforms aim to: 

He stated that a secure and humane correctional system is vital to national stability and justice. 
👮 Boosting Officer Welfare and Professionalism
A key part of the President’s speech focused on the welfare of prison officers. He pledged continued government support to improve housing, medical coverage, and career progression opportunities within the Kenya Prisons Service. 
“Your work is demanding and often unseen, but it is critical to our justice system,” Ruto told the graduates. 
He encouraged the officers to remain professional, avoid corruption, and uphold the rule of law at all times, warning that misconduct would not be tolerated. 
🏗️ Expanding Rehabilitation and Skills Training 
President Ruto also highlighted the government’s plan to expand inmate rehabilitation initiatives. He emphasized the importance of equipping inmates with practical skills such as carpentry, tailoring, agribusiness, and technical trades to reduce recidivism rates. 
He stressed that prisons should serve as centres of transformation rather than mere detention facilities.
“Correction without rehabilitation is incomplete,” he said, adding that empowering inmates with employable skills contributes to safer communities.
🌍 Security and National Development
The President linked prison reforms to broader national development goals, noting that a credible justice and correctional system strengthens investor confidence and public trust. 
He applauded collaboration between the Kenya Prisons Service, the Judiciary, and other security agencies to streamline case management and reduce remand backlogs. 
🎓 A New Chapter for the Graduates 
For the newly passed-out officers, the ceremony marked the beginning of a challenging yet honorable career. Many expressed pride in serving the nation and contributing to correctional reforms. 
The graduates are expected to be deployed to various prisons and correctional facilities across the country in the coming weeks. 
📌 Looking Ahead 
As Kenya continues to modernize its security institutions, today’s pass-out parade symbolized more than just the completion of training — it reflected a broader push toward professionalism, accountability, and humane correctional practices.
President Ruto concluded by urging the officers to serve with courage and integrity:

The event closed with a final parade march, signaling the official transition of the recruits into full service under the Kenya Prisons Servic