JUBILEE: YEAR OF RECONCILIATION AND BRIDGING BROKEN RELATIONS

It's undoubtedly clear that prisons and correctional facilities have played a great role in shaping societies. Millions of men and women have gained skills to lead meaningful lives from prisons. Souls have been saved, brains enlightened and families reconciled thanks to progressive prison philosophy.

The efforts of all, the goodwill of societies, the love of God, the humility of prisoners and the care of governments have made concrete gains out of this prison philosophy. It's a commendable act. 

Albeit all these fruits, a lot need to be done to squeeze all the juice out of prisons. Prisons aren't condemnation centers. They are factories of upright citizens. Pause a bit and look at the following:

Poverty is the greatest catalyst of crime. The urge to get the basics - food, shelter and clothing is enough to push Man into breaking the law. To deny this fact is counterproductive. It's escapist and leads to no good. Hence the question: should governments jail all law breakers? 

I believe not in jailing. I believe in separation of the wrong spirit from the body. This entails digging dip into the force driving citizens to commit crimes. This isn't to say that all bad guys should be left off the hook.  There are those who engage in crime for other reasons. They must be punished for their transgressions. 

But payment for 'sins' must go beyond the mere act of locking them in those massive prison walls.  Re-education of the spirit and body must accompany these 'lock-downs.' Imparting skills on and eventual absorption of prisoners into the general life of the nation is what fosters development and peace.

Jailing persons for the sake of doing so leads to desperation and revenge. It destroys relations and friendships.

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I look forward to living in a society that segregates NOT persons based on their prison record. Reformed prisoners have a lot of goodies to offer to humanity.  It's by accommodating them that we get a portion of these goodies.

As we mark fifty years of self-rule, may we strive to make Kenya greater and more accommodative.  This is the year of Jubilee for Kenya. It's the golden moment to reconcile and bridge broken relations. Happy Jubilee year to all Kenyans.