Kondengui Central Prison


Kondengui Central Prison is a maximum security prison in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It has been the subject of numerous international criticisms for its overcrowding and poor conditions.
Kondengui was constructed in 1967 and was originally built to house 1,500 inmates. The facility has 16 toilets and 400 beds.
In 2002, prisoners were fed one meal a day and given 4.4 ounces of soap every six months. In 2003, the US Department of State issued a "scathing" report on Cameroonian prisons in which it noted that Kondengui was severely overcrowded, housing a population of 9,530 in space meant for 2,000. In 2011, Amnesty International described the prison conditions to be "harsh, with inmates suffering overcrowding, poor sanitation and inadequate food. Prison guards are poorly trained, ill-equipped and their numbers inadequate for a big prison population."

Notable current and past prisoners

singer Lapiro de Mbanga referenced the prison in a popular 2007 anti-corruption song, with lyrics including "Send them to Kondengui Prison. Everybody to Kondengui... ministers, directors send them to Kondengui".