Wanini Kireri: Pioneer Woman Commandant at Kenya Prisons is Dead

Assistant Commissioner General of Prisons in Kenya Wanini Kireri has died after a short illness.

She breathed her last at AAR hospital in Kiambu County.

Kireri started her career as a cadet officers in 1982. She was stationed at the Lang’ata Women’s Prison as a duty officer.

In 1986, she was transferred to Embu Women’s Prison as officer in charge.

The year was 1993 when she was promoted to the rank of superintendent of prisons.

It did not take long before she became a senior lecturer at Prisons College.

She became the first female officer in charge of Shimo la Tewa Prison, a male-only facility in 2006.

In 2010, she was posted in Nairobi as the Regional Prisons Commander.

In 2017, the Kireri was appointed Director of legal affairs at Prisons Headquarters in Nairobi.

A year later, she became the first female commandant at Ruiru Prisons Staff College, a position she held with pride until her death today, 31st May.

She has been at the heart of reforms in Kenyan prisons.