Uganda Prisons Appeals for Clemency to Ease Severe Overcrowding Crisis
Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has urged the government to grant pardons to inmates convicted of minor offenses, citing the urgent need to tackle severe overcrowding in the country’s correctional facilities. The plea comes as prisons continue to operate at triple their intended capacity, creating unsafe and inhumane conditions that hinder rehabilitation efforts.
According to senior UPS officials, facilities designed to accommodate 1,000 inmates are often housing up to 3,000. This overcrowding strains resources, increases health risks, and makes effective rehabilitation nearly impossible.
Senior Superintendent of Prisons (SSP) Apollo Ssempungu highlighted the urgent need for additional infrastructure, recommending the construction of at least ten new prisons. He also called for closer collaboration with the judiciary to establish designated detention centers for minor offenders, which would help reduce pressure on major prisons.
“The current situation is unsustainable,” SSP Ssempungu said. “Our prisons are bursting at the seams. Immediate action is required to improve living conditions for inmates and ensure the safety of both staff and prisoners.”
As of the start of this month, Uganda’s prison population stood at 79,000, far exceeding the national capacity of 23,000. SSP Ssempungu also expressed concern over 302 juveniles currently held in adult prisons, many of whom should have been released on bail or had their cases expedited, exposing vulnerable children to potentially lasting harm.
Even newly constructed facilities like Kitalya Prison, which has a capacity of 2,000, are overwhelmed, currently housing over 4,000 inmates. Uganda’s prison system comprises 259 facilities, including high-security prisons, maximum-security, medium-security, and farms for prison labor.
The UPS is advocating for clemency for inmates convicted of minor, non-violent offenses such as petty theft, arguing that releasing them would alleviate overcrowding and free resources for inmates serving longer sentences for serious crimes.
Overcrowding has broad implications beyond space constraints. Poor sanitation, limited healthcare, insufficient food and clothing, and increased violence are common challenges. Staff are stretched thin, making it difficult to maintain order and implement rehabilitation programs, which are essential for reducing recidivism.
Addressing this crisis requires a multi-faceted approach. Expanded prison infrastructure is needed alongside maintenance of existing facilities. Judicial reforms are essential to expedite case processing, reduce backlogs, and encourage the use of alternative sentencing for minor offenses.
Rehabilitation programs, including education, vocational training, and counseling, must be prioritized to prepare inmates for reintegration into society.
Preventive measures addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty and unemployment, are also critical, along with effective case management and regular independent inspections to ensure health, safety, and humane conditions.
The UPS’s call for clemency underscores the urgent need for government intervention. By combining short-term measures, like pardons, with long-term solutions–including infrastructure development, judicial reform, and rehabilitation programs–Uganda can create a safer, more humane, and effective prison system.
By Nile Post.
