Prisons among top drivers of deforestation due to firewood use, MPs say
Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee members pose with prison staff during their tour of prisons in Kilifi County. Photo/Parliament.
Most of Kenya’s prisons are fuelling deforestation by relying heavily on firewood for cooking, a parliamentary committee has observed.
The Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), chaired by Mr Caroli Omondi, said the situation calls for urgent adoption of clean cooking energy solutions across correctional facilities.
The lawmakers made the remarks after an inspection tour of prisons in Kilifi County, where firewood remains the dominant source of cooking fuel.
Mr Omondi said the shift to alternatives such as biogas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, and charcoal briquettes would not only protect forests but also improve the health and welfare of inmates and staff.
“This move is critical in supporting the government’s broader efforts to reduce environmental pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change,” said Mr Omondi.
The committee further recommended training inmates in the production of charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste.
This would provide practical skills while reducing reliance on wood fuel.
Prison staff, too, would benefit from capacity-building programmes to operate and maintain clean energy systems.
Beyond energy, the MPs urged faster rollout of digital infrastructure in prisons to enable remote court hearings.
They said this would ease overcrowding and speed up judicial processes for remandees and inmates.
During the visit, the committee applauded rehabilitation programmes already in place, including vocational training, counselling, water harvesting, and environmental management.
These initiatives are being supported by partners such as Mabati Rolling Mills, Mombasa Cement, and the Red Cross.
The lawmakers concluded their tour with donations of food items to prisons in Kilifi County.
Kaloleni Prison also received a television set to enhance access to news and entertainment. Inmate representatives and prison officers expressed gratitude for the visit and the committee’s continued support.
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