The Commissioner General of Prisons, Canon Dr Johnson Byabasheija has completed a strategic and working tour of Eastern Uganda, visiting Bubulo, Mutufu and Tororo prisons to tackle pressing issues such as prison congestion, healthcare improvements, and staff professional development.
Dr Byabasheija engaged with officers in charge prisons from the Eastern, Iganga, and Southeast regions, where he outlined plans to enhance service delivery, promote transparency and improve conditions within the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS).
During the tour, Dr Byabashaija opened two new Prisoner Wards at Mutufu Prison in Busia District and Bubulo Prison in Manafwa District and each ward can accommodate over 100 inmates, helping to ease the strain of overcrowding, which has long impacted service quality.
Dr Byabasheija directed Officers in Charge of the Prisons to address overcrowding in the coming months, emphasizing its critical importance in creating safe and rehabilitative environments for inmates.
A major focus of the tour was the enhancement of healthcare services, including the establishment of a new hospital at Luzira equipped with modern tools, such as a recently donated Digitalz X-Ray (DXR CAD) machine.
This portable machine, operated by trained Prisons staff, will be used across various prisons to improve screening for tuberculosis (TB) and other health conditions, benefiting both inmates and staff nationwide.
Dr Byabashaija encouraged regular health checkups, particularly for HIV, to ensure staff remain healthy and effective in their roles.
He announced the recruitment plan for junior officers, with training set to commence soon, emphasizing that the process is fair and transparent saying that a promotion evaluation for both junior and senior officers is scheduled to run from October 2025 to April 2026, aimed at recognizing hard work, discipline, and dedication.
To further professionalize the service, new training programs, including Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), Junior, Intermediate and Senior Command and staff Courses, are being implemented to equip staff with modern correctional skills, aligning with global standards.
The Commissioner General highlighted the role of the Parish Development Model in driving economic progress and encouraged prison staff to support such initiatives and praised the Busia local leadership for their support to Mutufu Prison, providing services closer and commended the Officer in Charge at Mutufu for leading the construction efforts.
