Willis Nandi: A decade on death row

The Oxford Death Penalty Research Unit recently published a blog written by Willis Nandi, a volunteer and former death row prisoner in Kenya.

Willis was sentenced to death for an offence he did not commit. The conditions he experienced on death row, were ones that he describes as incredibly harsh and inhumane.

He was detained in a tiny cell with 10 to 12 people, no blankets or mattresses, the only toilet was a bucket hanging in the window, he had only one set of clothes and was required to brush his teeth with soap. The prison wardens treated him and other prisoners unfairly, and would not allow them the right to leave their cell for their 15 minute blocks. Willis recalls that if you became ill, the wardens wouldn’t take you to hospital.

Willis saw other prisoners die from stress because of the depression caused by death row, some died from starvation or turberculosis.

Since being released, Willis uses his voice to speak out about his experiences on death row. You can read his story here