This archive report was first published on 20 November 2019.
On November 20, 2019, a remarkable story of success and freedom unfolded at the King'ong'o Maximum Prison in Nyeri. Benson Ngotho Kang'ara, an inmate, had just received the news of his release, coinciding with the announcement of his outstanding performance in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.
Mr. Kang'ara, along with 20 other inmates, had written the KCPE tests at the prison. His impressive score of 367 marks made him the top student of the year, surpassing the previous year's top scorer who had achieved 349 marks.
According to Mr. Yusuf Kaitopok, the officer in charge of the facility, this year's performance was a significant improvement compared to the previous year. The prison centre's mean score of 226 was a drop from the 229 posted in 2018.
Among the top candidates was Samuel Thiong'o, who is serving a life sentence. He secured 335 out of 500 marks, an improvement from the 309 marks he scored in 2018. Mr. Thiong'o's joy was palpable as his colleagues carried him shoulder-high and the wardens congratulated him.
Mr. Thiong'o expressed his gratitude towards the prison for providing him with an opportunity to pursue education. He stated, 'I did not get the opportunity to pursue education as I quit in lower primary. The prison presented me with another opportunity.' He also added, 'I was jailed for life plus 94 years but through education, I am able to circumnavigate all the challenges here. I enjoy studying … the prison has accorded me correctional services.'
Following a conviction for sexual offences, Mr. Thiong'o has been locked up for four years now. Despite the challenges, he has managed to excel in his studies and is now set to proceed to the secondary level.
