Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, has credited the appointment of the first female Parade Commandant in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to the late Prisons Staff Training Commandant, Wanini Kireri's encounter with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking at the funeral service of Kireri on Thursday, June 9, Matiang'i revealed that the former prisons boss' decision to have a female Parade Commandant at the Kenya Prisons Training College impressed Uhuru that he challenged the KDF boss to implement the same.
Further, Matiang'i noted that the KDF Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Robert Kibochi and the Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai, took up the challenge and implemented changes in their agencies.
"When we started the cadet training of the Prison Service, those who are here know that the President told her that she had beat all of us men because she was the first Commandant of a security training institution to bring a woman Parade Commander."
"It was exciting to all of us so the President challenged the KDF and IG Mutyamabai telling them that Wanini had beaten them and that it was up to them to go and do something. Soon after I was gratified to see the IG found a woman Commandant. Recently I have seen the KDF taking up the challenge too," Matiang'i stated.
The Interior CS described Kireri as an instrumental member of his Ministry, adding that her work ethic was admired by the President.
He stated that the fallen prison's boss received many accolades in her career given the numerous reforms she implemented in the prison's department.
He expressed shock over the death of Kireri, adding that it would take him time to recover from the loss.
"I must confess that I am going to take a little bit of time to come to terms with this because the Commissioner General of Prisons called me and gave me information without preamble or warning."
Further, he announced that the government would name a building in honour of her service to the prison's department.
In his condolence message, the President credited Kireri for breaking the glass ceiling after becoming the first female Prison Commandant in the country. Kireri passed away on June 1 after a short illness.
"Wanini Kireri is a trailblazer who broke the glass ceiling for Kenyan women serving in the Prison Service through sheer hard work, determination, and discipline.
"Kenya has been robbed of one of her brightest stars whose decades of outstanding public service had helped uplift the profile of Kenya Prisons Service," Uhuru stated.
