Jan. 31
KENYA:
Death Row Moms Beat the Odds
Grace Omariba Mokeira, 26, languishes on death row at Nairobi's Lang'ata
Women's Prison. But she retains hope that all is not lost and last year
she put her convictions to the test by sitting the Kenya Certificate of
Primary Education examination.
She was overjoyed just after Christmas when the results came out: She had
scored 270 marks out of 500 to lead the 11 fellow inmates at the prison
who took the examination.
Of the inmates at the Naivasha Prison, who also sat the examination, death
row convicts took the top five positions.
When Lifestyle visited the Lang'ata prison a day after the results were
released, the "class" was in a carnival mood as the "students" and their
fellow inmates celebrated.
However, two of the candidates were already out of prison. One of them was
released on a presidential amnesty, while her colleague, a death row
convict, got out on appeal.
"The results are very encouraging considering that we are in prison with
all the difficulties and having to read half day," said Ms Mokeira.
They prepared for the examination under a teacher posted by the
Government. Fellow inmates who had gone through school also lend a helping
hand.
Mokeira, who has been in prison since 1997, says she had to do the
examination since she takes life positively.
"I always have the hope of leaving jail and leading a normal life outside.
I still have one chance of escaping the hangman's noose since I am waiting
for the Court of Appeal decision after the High Court in Nakuru rejected
my 1st appeal," says the robbery-with-violence convict.
Her 2nd appeal will be heard in February.
Mokeira says she dropped out of school in Standard Six, adding that it was
a joy to get a chance to continue her studies in prison.
On her ambitions when she completes her studies, Ms Mokeira says: "I want
to be a Nation Reporter. I envy reporters when I watch them on television
chasing news. It must be an exciting job."
Mokeira was closely followed by Prisca Aloo, who scored 221 marks. Aloo is
serving the first year of a 15-year jail term for assault.
"I might leave this place with a degree if all goes well and we are
allowed to learn through distance learning," she proudly says, looking
forward to her release date in 2013.
Aloo says she would have done much better had she not been under treatment
for TB.
"I did not attend classes for 2 months," she says.
At number 3, with 218 marks was 24-year-old Apolonia Erasmi Orasa, another
death row convict.
The Tanzanian woman could not proceed with her High Court appeal this year
as it came during the examination period. The court fixed the hearing for
next year so she could sit her examination without distraction.
She was quite happy to delay the hearing that could have won her an easy
release.
"It has been my ambition to go to school and I got that chance in jail. I
wanted to learn English and got the chance in prison. I wish to be an
engineer one day," she says.
But for 39-year-old Beatrice Wanjiru Daniel, who got 180 marks, education
was too sweet to take for granted even after losing all her appeals
against a death sentence.
Despite losing her final plea at the Court of Appeal, her thirst for
education could not be quenched.
The robbery-with-violence convict says she still has hope that one day the
President will have mercy on her and set her free.
"Just in case that luck comes soon, I don't want to regret why I didn't
study while I had the chance," says Wanjiru.
She adds: "If age won't be against me, I would wish to be a medical
doctor. I want to assist the less fortunate in society."
The Bible, she adds, says that we should believe in things that we don't
even see.
The officer in charge of Lang'ata prison, Ms Wanini Kireri, says it was
exciting to learn of the sterling performance of the inmates.
She says that with all the difficulties they face in prison, including
lack of facilities and learning materials, the student-inmates performed
well.
Ms Kireri says the students have only one teacher, Mrs Christine
Kipkosion, who is seconded from the department of adult education.
The death row convicts, Ms Kireri says, are not supposed to work and are
usually idle as they wait for the gallows. She says education keeps them
busy and gives them hope.
"It is the best reform we can have in prison. If the convicts ever get out
of prison, they could become very useful citizens," she says.
There is a need for well-wishers and the government to put up classrooms
and laboratories, provide teachers and donate books.
At Naivasha Prison, Mr Benjamin Njoga, the officer in charge, says the
examination results were encouraging.
He says the inmates performed much better than their colleagues last year.
However, he said, the mean score dropped due to an increase in the number
of candidates.
He supports his Lang'ata counterpart in appealing for more support from
the government and well-wishers for inmates who want to get an education.
Mrs Kipkosion, who is the only government sponsored teacher at Lang'ata
and Nairobi West prisons, tells of the difficulties she faces.
She is forced to teach all examinable subjects for primary and secondary
school students in both prisons.
The teacher, who is also a marriage and family counsellor, says one has to
have special skills to teach in such an institution.
She says the psychological needs of the inmates sometimes outdo their
educational needs and thus the teacher has to quench the thirst for the
former before providing education.
"One has to start by giving the students hope and encouragement before
even thinking of teaching them," says Mrs Kipkosion.
While releasing last year's KCPE results, Education minister Prof George
Saitoti said 190 prisoners were among the 657,747 candidates who sat the
examination.
He said that this was as a result of the democratic space created by the
Narc Government.
"This is a reflection of our commitment to the fact that every Kenyan has
a right to basic education irrespective of their status," said the
minister.
Results of some of the inmates show an interesting phenomenon in the
prisons.
At Naivasha Prison, Geoffrey Kiprono got 344 marks, which was among the
best scores in the private candidates' category, beating 51 other
candidates at the institution.
George Kimani Kimura, who scored 334 marks and who is on death row for
robbery with violence, took the second position followed by 33-year-old
Livingstone Korir, with 311 marks. Korir is serving 4 years for rape.
In the 4th position was James Irungu Njoroge, who is on death row. He
scored 300 marks.
Cyrus Mburu Muriithi, who is also on death row, followed him closely with
299 marks.
At the Thika Prison, the best student had 347 marks while the lowest had
183 marks.
Moses Munguti Kioko, who is in for 3 years for being in possession of
bhang, led 7 other candidates at Thika Prison.
He was followed by Samuel Maina Macharia, who had 294 marks. Macharia was,
however, released on presidential amnesty. He was in for 2 years for
theft.
(source: The Nation)
