Heads of correctional services of Rwanda and Kenya on Monday, December 19, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to renew and further strengthen bilateral cooperation in correctional services. The MoU was signed between Juvenal Marizamunda, the Commissioner General of Rwanda Correctional Services(RCS) and with the Kenyan delegation. This is part of a three-day working visit of the Kenyan delegation to re-discuss the inter-institutional cooperation between the RCS and the Kenyan Prisons Service (KPS). The visit also aims at discussing ways and means to reinvigorate the partnership between the KPS and RCS, that the cooperation in prisoners’ correctional, reintegration and aftercare services will enhance the existing relationships. During an interview with The New Times, CGP Brigadier (Rtd) John L. Warioba the Commissioner General of KPS said that the memorandum of understanding between RCS has been there but it had expired, adding that they are here to renew it. He said that once the agreement is signed there will be a lot to learn from both the Rwandan correctional services with the Prisoners Services of Kenya. Pelly Gakwaya, the spokesperson of RCS, said that Rwanda and Kenya have a good relationship and this has driven several partnerships and collaborations in different sectors. “One of our priorities is having exchange programs, sending our students to Kenya for training and them sending students to Rwanda, we have projects like the biogas project and health insurance that they want to learn about,” she said She added that they also look forward to learning a lot from them in terms of improving the standard of services at correctional institutions. The delegation also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial site where they paid their respects to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
