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KAMPALA - There is overcrowding in the existing prisons in Uganda with the most affected being Isingiro (802%), Yumbe (768%), Hoima (618%), and Fort Portal (573%). 

This is worsened by the number of prisoners on remand constituting 49% of the overall prisoner population of 76,041.

The revelations are contained in the Auditor General (AG) John Muwanga's on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, audit report presented to Parliament on the annual accounts of government for the year ended June 30, 2023.

Muwanga said 8,088 prison staff (56%) are still housed in dilapidated houses, semi-permanent structures, uniports, and grass-thatched houses. In the financial year 2022/23, a total of shillings 109.98 billion was spent on direct and associated costs for the management of detention facilities.

“I carried out an assessment of the condition of detention facilities involving an evaluation of the physical, operational, and humanitarian aspects of the prisons and prisons’ staff facilities,” Muwanga said.

The Auditor General said that Uganda Prisons Service planned and budgeted to fence seven prisons at Moroto, Pallisa, Soroti, Amita, Kaabong, Kotido, and Kibaale prisons at an estimated cost of shillings one billion. Fencing in four of the seven prisons was yet to be completed.

Uniform question

The Prisons’ Standing Orders require each prisoner to be provided with at least two uniforms, two blankets, and one felt mattress. He noted that the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) does not provide felt mattresses except for some female prisoners. Only one uniform is provided to the prisoners.

There was a shortage of trainers in the prisons to provide training. In addition, there were inadequate tools and materials to aid in the training and rehabilitation exercise of prisoners. UPS did not have a rehabilitation policy to guide the rehabilitation of prisoners.

UPS currently accommodates 280 children staying with their mothers in prison.

However, he observed that out of the 19 regional prisons, only five (Luzira, Mbale, Arua, Gulu, and Mbarara women prisons) had daycare centres. This situation leaves incarcerated mothers with children in 14 (79%) prison’s regions without access to these services.

Health challenges

Three prison stations of Isimba, Yumbe, and Koboko lacked proper places for care and reception of sick prisoners, while three prison stations of Lobule, Bidibidi, and Mahia had medicines kept in medicine cabinets and lacked infrastructures for the health facilities.

Out of the required 1,519 health staff in 55 health facilities, only 217 (14%) staff were employed, leading to a staff shortfall of 1,302 (76%) health staff.

He inspected 55 prison facilities across the country to determine whether they were equipped with isolation centres for prisoners with transmittable diseases and noted that 46 prisons (84%) did not have isolation centres for isolation of sick prisoners with transmittable diseases from other prisoners.

“The poor state of prison facilities affects welfare of prisoners and staff and exposes the inmates and staff to several health risks. The lack of adequate rehabilitation and reintegration facilities for offenders may result in inmates leaving prison more hardened increasing the chances of becoming repeat offenders,” Muwanga explained.

He advised the accounting officer to liaise with key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance, Parliament, and development partners to address the challenges of funding, low and inadequate staffing, and inadequate infrastructure.

He further advised management to consider popularising other options for delivering of justice such as plea bargains, parole, bail, and speedy investigations to reduce the number of prisoners on remand.