Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has decried the high prison population in Uganda, saying the increased number of prisoners has exerted pressure on prisons infrastructure.
The Speaker said this during the plenary this afternoon.
Currently, there are 254 prisons in Uganda with a capacity of hosting 20,762 inmates throughout the country.
According to Uganda Prisons Service monthly statistics, in September 2023, there were 75,912 people in prison including pre-trial detainees, indicating 148 from the previous month. Of that 72;265 were men and 3,647 women.
Among stated that the Commissioner General of Prisons Johnson Byabashaija revealed that for every 100,000 Ugandans, 168 are in Prison. The prisons are hosting prisoners beyond the physical carrying capacity of the facilities implying overcrowding.
“We need to pay closer attention to the infrastructural challenges affecting Uganda prisons. As we embark on the budgeting process for 2024/25, I urge the Executive to prioritize the need for better infrastructure in Uganda Prisons,” she said.
She said “All their prisons are full, they have no space for the prisoners, so as we legislate and we go through the budget process, we should be able to think about the infrastructure in prisons, not only Luzira, but all over. Of course, we shall continue having people who break the law, but let us see how we support Uganda Prisons and see that their infrastructure is improved,”
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