KAMPALA - Mr. Frank Baine, the Commissioner of Corporate affairs and Public Relations Officer (PRO) - Uganda Prisons Service on the 31st May 2021 conducted a customer care training to one hundred and forty seven (147) military police officers who are currently undergoing a special one month training course on the ‘Management of sophisticated and high profile criminals’ at Prisons Academy and Training School (PATS) in Luzira.

During his interaction with the team, he emphasized on patriotism, professionalism, discipline and humility while executing law and order as highlighted in article 208 - 210 of the 1995 Republic of Uganda constitution. He emphasized that they must respect and protect human rights. 

He added that while implementing lawful orders in their respective line of duty, the image of the force and uniqueness of the military brand should highly be protected. 

To note, they should be vigilant and consistent in being patriotic, professional, obedient to civilian authority and disciplined at all times. 

The course is expected to empower military police officers on proper way of handling criminals while adhering to Public Order Management Act.

The concerns raised by the trainees rotated around challenging orders during heated riots and demonstrations of which he advised them to use a cautious and humane approach in implementing of orders.

 Finally, they appreciated the integration of customer care training in their line of duty.

Published: June 3 2021

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has exercised his constitutional powers to pardon 883 prisoners across the country.  

The Constitution under article 121(4) says that: The president may, on the advice of the committee [Prerogative of Mercy committee], grant to any person convicted of an offence a pardon either free or subject to lawful conditions; grant to a person a respite, either indefinite or for a specified period, from the execution of punishment imposed on him or her for an offence; substitute a less severe form of punishment for a punishment imposed on a person for an offence; or remit the whole or part of a punishment imposed on a person or of a penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to Government on account of any offence.

Frank Baine, the spokesperson of the Uganda Prisons Services, said the details of who is going to be released and what kind of sentences they have been serving will be communicated as of when they have worked them out. 

Museveni’s move to pardon such a big number of prisoners is in line with government’s efforts to decongest prisons which are said to be potential places for the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

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Published: April 28, 2020

#Administrative Notice

You are all aware that the world has been hit by a highly infectious pandemic known as COVID – 19 caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, a virus closely related to the SARS virus.

You are also aware that Uganda has registered a number of cases of this disease. Any occurrence of cases inside the prison will be catastrophic considering the prime conditions that prevail.

This Administrative Instruction, therefore, serves to bring to your attention how it is spread, it’s symptoms and to guide the establishment of responses to absolutely prevent any circumstance that would further compromise the vulnerability of the prison environment.

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Published: March 25, 2020

KITALYA - Construction of the largest prisoner correctional facility in Uganda has been completed. The facility sitting at 5-acres of land situated about 55 kilometres northwest of Kampala, in Wakiso District is now ready to receive inmates, according to Dr Johnson Byabashaija, the Commissioner-General of Prisons. 

Named Kitalya Mini-Max Prison, the Shs25 billion state of the art facility was funded by the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) and constructed by Ambitious Construction Company Limited. 

It was built with large sized prison wards and 30 cells all fitted with modern sanitary facilities. It has a fully-fledged medical wing with an inpatient section, a contact visitors’ room and isolation rooms for contagious diseases, plus a kitchen equipped with power-saving technology.

The facility also has classroom blocks equipped with a computer lab and library, a large workshop block specifically designed and built for prison industry activities, fully-fledged sports facilities including a football pitch, a volleyball court, a basketball court and lawn tennis court in addition to a multipurpose hall. 

Its completion is expected to decongest Luzira upper prison, which is chocking with more than 3,000 inmates, five times above its holding capacity of 600 inmates. Dr Byabashaija observed that Kitalya Mini-Max prison is a game-changer in the war against prison congestion. 

It was built with large sized prison wards and 30 cells all fitted with modern sanitary facilities. It has a fully-fledged medical wing with an inpatient section, a contact visitors’ room and isolation rooms for contagious diseases, plus a kitchen equipped with power-saving technology.

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Published: Feb. 24 2020

The Uganda Prisons Service has reformed over the years and has won praise for the best correctional system for prisoners in Africa. Canon Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, the Commissioner General of Prisons spoke to The Independent  Magazine's Ronald Musoke about running a human-rights based correctional service.

READ FULL  INTERVIEW

Published: May 22, 2 019

The Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Dr Yorokamu Bamwine, flagged off a hands on training on Case Preparation on Plea Bargaining at Mbarara Main Prison.The training attracted actors in the criminal justice system as well as a team comprised legal experts as well as students from Pepperdine and Yale universities. The team was led by Prof Danny DeWalt, the Associate Dean Administration and Leadership Development at Pepperdine University.

In a brief made by SP Innocent Draville, the Officer in Charge of Mbarara Main Prison 300 inmates had expressed willingness to take part in the exercise."Initially only 118 inmates had enrolled for Plea Bargaining but when the Mbarara Senior Resident Judge came and sensitized inmates, another 110 signed up...we also got 67 others from Kakyika and eight women," said SP Draville.

Mbarara Main Prison holds 1,820 inmates, of these 856 are remand committals and 655 are convicts.

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Published: March 12, 2019

Prison inmates at the Luzira Maximum Security Prison, who sat for the 2018 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Examinations (UACE), have qualified for tertiary education.Results released on 28th February 2019 saw 21 of the 30 candidates from the Luzira-based Upper Prison Inmates Secondary School excel with at least two principal passes that are required for one to join tertiary education.

Twelve candidates passed with one principal while two qualified with subsidiary passes and no failure registered. Twenty-nine of the 30 were male and only one female, Evelyn Atimango, who qualified with subsidiaries. The best student is Wasige Kulaira, a convicted prisoner who scored 17 points.

According to the results, four prisoners; Leuben Asiimwe, Geoffery Mawa, Amon Musimenta and Ogema Morish, each scored 12 points. Officials at the Uganda Prisons Service attribute the better performance to discipline, which is a condition for joining education at prisons.

Mr Gilbert Nuwamanya, the head of Luzira Prisons Inmates Education Services, said the education programme has enabled many to become productive after prison life.

Published: March 4, 2019

The Uganda Prisons Service has listed 2,100 inmates for Presidential pardon. The constitution empowers the President to pardon prisoners on the presidential prerogative of mercy upon advice of the Committee of Clemency and the Attorney General. The Uganda Prisons Spokesperson, Mr. Frank Baine said the list was submitted to the Attorney General's office (Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs) in August this year and they are awaiting a response from the President's office.

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Published: December 6, 2018

About 55km northwest of Kampala CBD lies Kitalya – a quiet village located in Busunju County Wakiso district. Amid Kitalya’s cascading plains and sprawling green is a towering 5-acre prison facility under construction and this is a prison project like no other. 

Welcome to Kitalya Mini-Max Prison.

Today a team from the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) led by Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, the Prisons Service Commissioner General visited the construction site to get first hand experience of the progress made so far. Accompanied by a delegation from the JLOS Secretariat, the JLOS Construction committee, ICRC, members of Parliament and a number of officials from Uganda Prisons, Dr. Byabashaija was given a guided tour of this imposing facility by the lead consultant, Arch. Enock Kibbamu from Plantek Limited.

Described by the Commissioner General as “Uganda’s first ever real post-colonial prison”, Kitalya Mini-Max easily fits this glowing description and the facts don’t lie. 

Here is a sneak peek:

Big sized prison wards and 30 cells (all fitted with modern sanitary facilities) that can accommodate up to 4,000 inmates; a fully fledged medical wing complete with an inpatient section and isolation rooms for contagious diseases; about 70 CCTV camera points and a control room (24 hour surveillance on site and offsite); modern kitchen equipped with power saving technology; classroom blocks equipped with a computer lab and library; a large workshop block specifically designed and built for prison industry activities; full-fledged sport facilities (a football pitch, volley ball court, basket ball court and lawn tennis court); a multipurpose hall; multiple watch towers; and a modern administration block.

All this (and much more) at only 18.3 bn Ushs, which is by all measures a modest, and conservative figure given the sheer volume of work and quality of workmanship on display today.

According to Hon. Doreen Ruth Amule, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee who was part of the visiting delegation, Kitalya Mini-Max success story is one of the reasons Uganda Prisons is easily among the most highly respected institutions in Uganda. She thanked Dr. Byabashaija for his exemplary leadership and integrity without which a project of this magnitude wouldn’t have been possible.

Uganda Prisons globally ranks high thanks to its award winning rehabilitation program. At Kitalya, the prison industry workshops and educational facilities being constructed within the prison underscore UPS’ goal to rehabilitate prisoners and make them better citizens.  Like one construction project official put it to me today, “Kitalya is simply a correctional facility and not just a prison. The design features speak for themselves”.

Started in June 2016, construction is set to be completed by June 2019 but it could even be much earlier (around February 2019) thanks to the tireless efforts of the contractor (Ambitious Construction Co. Ltd), the consultant (Plantek Limited) and the Prisons project management team. 

Big tasks still remain though: to equip this prison facility and operationalize it once construction works are completed. This requires funding to procure furniture and fixtures as well as facilities for staff to manage and run the prison. 

However from today’s visit, one thing is crystal clear: Kitalya Mini-Max prison project with support from the Justice, Law and Order Sector is no doubt on course to make history and become a game changer in the war on prison congestion and the quest to take prisoner rehabilitation to a whole new level.

By Edgar Kuhimbisa / Published: 12 Nov 2018

The Justice, Law and Order Sector on October 27 2016 held the 2016 edition of the JLOS Recognition Awards during the 21st Annual JLOS Review conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo. The Chief Justice presided over the ceremony.

Below is a list of recipients for the 2016 JLOS Recognition Awards.

THE JLOS EXCELLENCE AND QUALITY AWARD 

Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB)

URSB has excelled in streamlining business registration processes through an on-line business name application solution installed to facilitate online name search and business name reservations.  Services such as name search, reservations and assessment of fees payable can now be processed in one day – an unprecedented achievement in Uganda. URSB’s excellence in service delivery is pivotal to Uganda’s improving ratings in global competitiveness and has significantly contributed to the doing business environment and improved the country’s prospects as a viable investment destination. 

THE JLOS INNOVATION AWARD 

Judiciary 

The Judiciary has been at the forefront of justice innovations over the years. The Judiciary recently launched the Audio-Visual Link project that makes it possible for courts to receive evidence by audio video link from witnesses who cannot appear in court due to infancy, old age, distance and costs. This technology innovation is an effective and cost effective enabler of access to justice for the vulnerable – a signature outcome of the JLOS Third Strategic Investment Plan.

THE JLOS CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD 

Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) 

URSB’s accomplishments in the area of customer service excellence exemplified by the recent establishment of a fully functioning call center and vibrant social media platforms, distinguish URSB's commitment to excellent customer service pivotal to Access to Justice. URSB continues to creatively engage with its clientele through people-oriented services that have transformed the Bureau into a key player and benchmark in efficient and effective service delivery.

Uganda Prisons Service

Uganda Prisons’ customer care approach evident in prison facilities across the country has positively changed the image of the Prisons service. 

THE JLOS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AWARD 

MR. Anatoli Muleterwa 

Mr. Anatoli Muletwerwa is champion of human rights awareness in the Uganda Police through sensitization of the public using various media platforms. His pro-people approach has earned him the nickname “omulwani w’dembe ryabantu (high rights defender)” from a popular radio talkshow “Police nomuntu wabuligyo”

ASP Muleterwa is a member of the Paralegal Services and head of community policing, Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP).

THE JLOS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA)

For the unprecedented and successful implementation of the National Identification Project.

THE JLOS PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND MEDIA RELATIONS AWARD 

Judiciary

The Judiciary has over the last financial year carried out extensive public sensitization campaigns across the country through barazas, radio talkshows and open days on issues of plea-bargaining, Small claims procedures and other access to Justice issues. The Judiciary has during these sensitization campaigns partnered with other JLOS institutions as a demonstration of the sector-wide approach to access to justice.   Efforts of the Judiciary to reach out to the public are yielding fruits in positively changing negative perceptions about the Judiciary in the public domain.

THE JLOS MEDIA REPORTING AWARD 

MR. Anthony Wesaka  

Anthony Wesaka is a journalist with the Daily Monitor who specializes in reporting on justice, law and order issues. Mr. Wesaka has for the last eight years consistently and objectively covered groundbreaking news and feature stories in many JLOS institutions.

THE JLOS PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION AWARD 

Legal Aid Service Provider’s Network (LASPNET)

LASPNET has constructively and consistently engaged with the Sector on issues of access to justice especially regarding advocacy on the Legal Aid Policy.  

THE JLOS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Lady Justice Leticia Kikonyogo

As a former Deputy Chief Justice Justice and Head of the Court of Appeal, Lady Justice Leticia Kikonyogo served the country and the Judiciary diligently in a glittering career spanning decades. 

Dr. S.P Kagoda 

Having diligently and faithfully served in as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Dr. S.P Kagoda has tremendously contributed to growth of the Justice, Law and Order Sector for more than a decade as a member of the JLOS Steering Committee. He has also been part of the peace process for Northern Uganda and as permanent secretary he led the multi-sectoral team to successfully implement the National ID project – a an unprecedented groundbreaking achievement for Uganda.

Mr. Tommy Ochen (RIP)

As a former Director of Correctional Services, Uganda Prisons who was instrumental in the award winning Prisons Rehabilitation Programme that continues to transform the lives of many prisoners across the country. Mr. Ochen’s selfless and dedicated service as a member of the JLOS Technical Committee was instrumental in shaping the policy and strategy of the Sector.

Though he is departed and no longer with us, the Justice, Law and Order celebrates his contribution and is proud to honor his honorable legacy.

Hon. Fredrick Ruhindi 

Having served in the Sector in various capacities – State Attorney (1981-1992); Deputy Attorney General and Minister of State for Justice and Constitutional Affairs (2006-2015) and Attorney General (2015 – 2016), Hon. Fredrick Ruhindi was instrumental in shaping Uganda’s justice, law and order landscape both from a technical, professional and political perspective. For his contribution, leadership and inspiration during the formative early years of the Sector, Hon. Ruhindi’s legacy lives on – through the big strides made by the Country and the Sector in the rule of law and administration of justice during his 35 years of diligent, people oriented and dedicated service.

For more information and inquiries on the JLOS Recognition Awards, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.