Former vice President Moody Awori celebrates his 91st birthday today and even though the birthday has been marred vy controversy after President Uhuru’s decision to offer him a new job, the man will be remembered for the revolutions he brought to Kenya Prisons.
His entry into the Ministry for Home Affairs marked a turning point for Kenyan prisoners. The better transport (Moody Hoppa), beauty contests and wide ranging reforms started to give the prisons a glimpse of hope.
As at November 2007, prison officers numbered 16,042 against the required 18,744, but by early 2008, 1,500 recruits passed out at the training college to reduce the gap.
Moody Awori is best remembered for his personal initiatives in prisons improvement and development of the correctional services country wide. He tried his best to uplift the standards of prison facilities and improved the welfare of inmates. Happy birthday Uncle Moody
— OTIENO Gregory. (@Rarieda1) December 5, 2018
During the launch of the book Kenya’s 50 Years of Diplomatic Engagement edited by Kiplagat Chelugat, Former VP Hon. Moody Awori said something which will be indelible in my mind in my entire life….that ‘Information and Communication are the real deal in a person’s life’.
— Ongoro Rahera (@raherajahera) December 1, 2018
Mr Awori said that he managed to improve the welfare of warders and senior officers by increasing salaries, building 192 housing units, introducing a scheme of service and proposing the creation of Kenya Prisons Service Commission.
He cited the introduction of the risk allowance and the establishment of Kenya Prisons Service Commission, due to double roles of the department as security and corrective institutions.
“The warders got a 100 per cent pay raise in 2004, raising their minimum pay to Sh10,000 from Sh5,000 I inherited, and it was backdated to January the same year,” he said.