Over 30 inmates at the Shimo La Tewa Maximum GK Prison have reportedly lost eyesight in what is believed to be as a result of poor lighting and inadequate diet. The majority of those affected are serving life imprisonment at the facility.
The inmates disclosed to the Senate committee on Justice and Legal Affairs they never get access to foods rich in vitamins, an issue they said has exposed them to risks of diseases.
Convicted Prisoners Welfare chairman Michael Jimmy Ogolla informed the Senate that congestion in small darkrooms had further contributed to poor eyesight, especially for convicts serving long sentences.
“ I am a victim, I lost my eyesight, and can attribute it to poor feeding it was only after the doctor recommended I be put on vegetables that my sight improved, though I’m yet to see properly,” he said.
Committee chair Samsom Cherargei said the team would kick off negotiations with the newly-appointed Commissioner General of Prisons to ensure the inmates are provided with balanced diet.