By Raymond Baguma

THE heads of prisons in the member states of the East African Community (EAC) have said the integration process in prisons is behind schedule compared to other security agencies.

They called for the establishment of a prisons’ liaison office at the EAC Secretariat in Arusha to coordinate the activities of the sector. The officials also want the EAC Treaty to be amended to provide for better services in prisons.

This was during a meeting held in Arusha last week. Augustino Nanyaro, the principal commissioner of prisons in Tanzania and Mary Gahonzire, the commissioner general of the Rwandan National Prisons Services attended the meeting.

Others were Deogratias Suzuguye, the director general of Burundi prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, the inspector general of prisons in Uganda and Isaiah Osugo, Kenya’s commissioner of prisons.

The chiefs also agreed to establish common standards on governance, penal reforms and human resource development of prisons.

They further agreed on confidence building, sharing information on prison population, facilities, financial resources and personnel.