Wycliffe Ogallo, the Commissioner General Prison Service, has been sacked.
President Uhuru Kenyatta fired Ogallo on Wednesday and appointed Brigadier (Rtd) John Warioba as his replacement.
The changes follow the recent escape of three terror convicts from Kamiti Maximum Prison.
“His Excellency the President has today appointed and witnessed the swearing-in of Brigadier (Rtd) John Kibaso Warioba as the Commissioner-General of the Kenya Prisons Service,” a statement from State House reads.
“It is also notified that His Excellency the President had earlier today revoked with immediate effect the appointment of Mr Wycliffe Ogalo as the Commissioner-General of Kenya.”
The inmates, Musharaf Abdalla Akhulunga aka Zarkawi/Alex/Shukri, Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo aka Yusuf, escaped from the highly guarded correctional facility at around 1am Monday.
Read: Two Remandees Who Escaped from Kapsoya Police Station Arrested
The convicts were serving jail terms ranging from 15 years to 41 years.
State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo said the President took action after a briefing from officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Correctional Services.
“The briefing noted the compelling public interest in the matter and the need to entrench accountability in the ranks of the leadership of all security organs; in honour of the many Kenyans who have lost their lives and the enormous sacrifices made by all Kenyans and particularly the security organs to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat terror networks,” Mrs Mararo said.
The President directed Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and all security formations to take all action necessary and pursue the Kamiti escapees with “all the available resources”.
Read Also: Police Offer Sh60 Million Reward for Arrest of 3 Terror Convicts Who Escaped From Kamiti Prison
The Head of State also urged all state investigative agencies to bring every person that is found culpable to full account.
The Department of Correctional Services was also directed to take disciplinary action against all officers who were on duty when the security breach occurred.
The action, Mrs Mararo said, shall include redeployment and/or immediate suspension of all affected officers.
“The Head of State and Government has urged all Kenyans to volunteer any information that will lead to the tracing and arrest of the three escapees,” she added.
Read Also: Matiang’i Blames Escape of Three Terror Convicts on Incompetence as Seven Kamiti Warders Arrested
The National Police Service recently offered a Sh60 million reward for information that may lead to arrest of the escapees.
Seven wardens have since been arrested in connection with the escape.
Reacting to the incident on Monday, CS Matiang’i said the escape was a result of laxity and incompetence.
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