Moroto female inmates urged to embrace peace, love for each other

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Christmas is a special time of the year when ordinary routines give way to celebration. Families and friends come together to share meals, travel to their villages, exchange gifts on Boxing Day and reflect on the year as they plan for the next one.

At Moroto Central Government Prison on December 22, 2025, the festive spirit was also felt behind prison walls, as female inmates marked the onset of the Christmas season with food, fellowship and goodwill.

Inside the female prison, the atmosphere was joyful as a team of good Samaritans from the United Kingdom served a well-prepared lunch to the inmates.

The meal included macaroni, beef, mashed banana, white and brown rice. The menu was complemented with sweets of all kinds, soft drinks and biscuits.

Prison warders cut a cake on behalf of female inmates at the Moroto Central Government Prison, marking the festive season. (Photo by Olandason Wanyama)

Speaking at the event to mark the beginning of the festive season, Maureen Mwagale, the executive officer of the UK charity agency Kaana, urged the female inmates to embrace peace and love for one another as they serve their various sentences.

She added that during the celebrations marking the birth of Jesus Christ, inmates should learn to forgive one another and live in harmony.

“I would like to hear that the female inmates are united and have love for each other as they serve sentences or in remand,” she noted, adding that being in prison should not deny them the opportunity to embrace the festive season.

Mwagale further said that as the entire world celebrates the birth of Christ on December 25, the visit was meant to allow the inmates to rejoice together with others.

“We shall celebrate Christmas outside, but you who are inside here too should enjoy attracting joy and a prolonged hand clap from the inmates.

She said that people across the world understand the significance of Christmas and encouraged everyone to enjoy the festive season.

Mwagale also appealed to mothers with children in detention to take good care of them, noting that their stay in prison would not last forever.

She thanked the management of the Uganda Prisons Service for accepting their request to spend time with the inmates and for facilitating the celebration without hesitation.

“Thanks for the good time we have spent inside here with the inmates,” she emphasised.

The officer in charge of the female prison, Doreen Nekesa, said it was encouraging to see the Samaritans help inmates experience the joy of the festive season.

Later, a cake was cut, sliced and shared, bearing the message "Merry Xmas".

As daylight faded through the prison windows, gift-giving continued while the day shift prepared to hand over to the night team.