Commissioner General, Uganda Prisons Services  Byabashaija,  has promoted 2,755  officers.

Following the Uganda Prisons Council meeting held on November 30, 2021, after a scrutiny of officers that started in October 2021 to consider the their performance, years of service and conduct, The Commissioner General, Uganda Prison Services, Dr Johnson Byabashaija has promoted 2,755 officers.

They include 106 Chief Warder class III promoted to Principal Officer One (P.O. I), 13 Chief Warders Twos promoted to Principal Officer Two (P.O. II), and 198 promoted from Chief Warder Two (CH/WDRII) to CH/WDR1. Others are 194 CH/WDR III promoted to CH/WDRII, 325 Sergeants promoted to CH/WDRIII, and 963 promoted from Corporal to Sergeants among others.

In his congratulatory message, Dr. Byabashaija urged the officers who missed out on the promotion not to lose heart. “The CG congratulates all those who have got and encourages those who have not got to wait for next time because we all have a chance to get promoted,” it partly read

He noted that although promotions are a sign of appreciation for hardwork, it doesn’t mean that those who miss out at a given time are underperforming.

The revised 2020 UPS promotion guidelines indicate that for a warder to be promoted to a Corporal, he or she must have been a warder for a minimum of three years, must be two years clear of any entry for a disciplinary offense, must not have applied to resign from the service within the last two years and must be recommended by OC of the district, and regional promotions board.

“From Sergeant warder to Chief warder class I, II & III, they must have been a Sergeant for a minimum of 3 years, must be three years clear of disciplinary offense, must have not applied to resign within the last two years, and must be recommended by OC of the district, and regional promotions board,” the guidelines reads in part.

Principal officers are mandated to have served for a period of not less than three years from enlistment in order to be considered for promotion. Other requirements for principal officers are; having four years clear of any disciplinary offense, must have not applied to resign within the last two years, and must be recommended by his o/c, the district, and regional promotions board.

Meanwhile the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) in Uganda resently officially handed over three newly developed publications on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in the Prison context to the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS), during a high level meeting between UNODC and the Uganda Prisons Service. The high-level meeting was convened to update Senior Management of the Uganda Prisons Service on key achievements in the implementation of Global Joint Initiative "Supporting the management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the prevention of radicalization to violence in prisons" in Uganda.

While officiating at the event in picture above, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, the Commissioner General of Prisons, thanked officials of the Uganda Prisons Service for partnering with UNODC in the development of the three publications namely: The Basic Training Module on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in Prison Settings, The Bespoke Course on “Essentials in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in Prison Settings”, and The Prisoner Classification Framework. The Commissioner General said the tools developed over the past one year will meaningfully contribute to the management of violent extremist prisoners, including their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. 

Ms. Vera Tkachenko, the UNODC Global Coordinator for the Global Joint Initiative, thanked Dr. Byabashaija for convening the meeting with the Senior Management team of Uganda Prisons Service. “As we come to the close of the year, it is a good time to reflect on what has been done, what we have managed to achieve together in partnership and what we plan to do in the years to come,” she said. Ms. Tkachenko, further outlined the overall UNODC Prison Reform agenda aimed at enhancing Prison Management, promoting humane custody of prisoners and rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. 

Ms. Tkachenko stressed, “What we see in many countries is that poor prisons conditions, overcrowding, understaffing and lack of financial and human resources make life difficult for prison officials and it is harder for them to effectively manage violent extremist prisoners”. She also made reference to the UN Security Council Resolution adopted in 2017 that recognized prisons as having potential to become incubators for terrorist recruitment. That is why it is important for prison staff to understand the process of radicalization as there are many different pathways to extremism.  

The Commissioner General of Prisons explained that in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in and around Kampala in October and November 2021, the prisons service expects to receive an increased number of suspects, some who are already in custody. He further acknowledged that the Global Joint Initiative is timely because it strives to prepare the Prisons Service with the capacity to manage violent extremist prisoners and the general prison population.

Ms. Sharon Nyambe, UNODC Head of Office in Uganda emphasized that the three publications which were developed in partnership with UPS will build the capacity and knowledge of new recruits and in-serving prisons staff in preventing and countering violent extremism in the prison context. The modules developed will be integrated within the basic training curriculum of the Prison Academy and Training School of the Uganda Prisons Service. 

“We recently concluded and finalized the prisoner assessment and classification tools which will support and aid prisoner assessment and classification within the prison service,” Ms. Nyambe said. “We are currently working closely to pilot these tools in six facilities, namely; Luzira Upper Maximum, Luzira Female Maximum, Jinja Main, Kitalya Mini Max, Kakiika Main and Masaka Main Prisons.  She further stated that UNODC is working closely with the Uganda Prisons Service to ensure gradual cascading of these tools to all regions of the country.