Bail saga: Byabashaija decries congestion in prisons

The Commissioner-General of the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS), Dr Johnson Byabashaija, Wednesday told lawmakers on the Parliament’s Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs that he would oppose the idea of denying capital offense suspects bail because it worsens the congestion challenge that the prisons sector is currently grappling with.

The clarification on the matter came to the fore after the shadow minister for Internal Affairs who also doubles as the MP for Mukono North, Mr Abdallah Kiwanuka, asked Dr Byabashaija to clearly state his position on the issue of bail since President Museveni is against granting people suspected of capital offenses bail. The clarification was sought because Dr Byabashaija has always complained that his sector is struggling with congestion.

Dr Byabashaija strongly objected to President Museveni’s proposal saying that such a decision would escalate administration costs shouldered by the force while catering for the high number of inmates.

“For me, if it was possible, then I would not want any remand prisoners because they are the ones causing congestion in the prisons. I don’t want them. First of all, I have to carry them to court and back to prison. They cost us a lot on our budget,” he said.

Dr Byabashaija said there are 65,368 inmates in various prisons across the country, a number that exceeds the approved figure of 19,986 inmates which is meant to be accommodated in the current system. This, therefore, means that there is an excess of 45,382 inmates in the prisons dotted around the country.

However, when the lawmakers pressed for a detailed response from Dr Byabashaija on the issue on opposing President Museveni proposal, the Commissioner-General of Prisons made a U-turn saying some suspects don’t deserve to be granted bail.

“Me I would advise him that a person who is dangerous should not just be granted bail. You cannot give bail to Jamil Mukulu. He will not come back. Can you give bail to Mukulu?” he asked.

To this end, he said that he would advocate for the legislative process that enables suspects to get bail because it lessens the burden pressed on the government in sustaining such inmates.

Way forward
As a mitigation measure, the Uganda Prison Service asked the lawmakers to push for a scale-up on the budgetary allocations made to the sector so that some funds can be pumped into the construction or expansion of prison facilities to accommodate more prisoners. The extra funds would also be used to clear water and electricity bills incurred by the sector. 

 Overcrowding in sampled prisons