Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, High-security correctional facility in Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya
This high-security correctional facility occupies a 490-hectare estate in Kasarani district and houses approximately 3,600 inmates in conditions originally designed for only 1,400 detainees, creating challenges related to overcrowding and limited resources.
Established in 1955 during the colonial period, this prison became the execution site of Mau Mau leader Dedan Kimathi in 1957 and later held numerous political prisoners during the 1980s and 1990s, including Kenneth Matiba and Raila Odinga.
The facility holds significant importance in Kenya's political memory as a detention site for dissidents and freedom fighters, symbolizing periods of government suppression and resistance during the struggle for democracy and human rights.
Access to the facility is highly restricted due to security protocols, and visitors require official permission from the Kenya Prisons Service, with limited opportunities for external research or photographic documentation of the premises.
The prison's G block houses condemned inmates and gained notoriety after a 2008 incident when warders' beatings during a cell phone raid were captured on video, prompting investigations by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
