Published on 25/06/2025
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has revealed disturbing findings about the treatment of inmates in Ugandan prisons, including forced labour, meagre pay, and severe overcrowding.
According to its 27th Annual Report on the State of Human Rights and Freedoms in Uganda, tabled before Parliament by UHRC Chairperson Mariam Wangadya, prisoners are paid as little as UGX 100 per day for unskilled labour, UGX 250 for semi-skilled labour, and UGX 500 for skilled work. The report also highlights allegations that inmates are often forced to work even when sick.
“The UHRC noted that all the prisoners who worked were paid a daily rate ranging between UGX 100 for unskilled labour, UGX 250 for semi-skilled labour, and UGX 500 for skilled work in most regions. However, prison farms such as Kyakasengura and Buseruka were reported to overwork inmates. At Adjumani Prison, some inmates complained of being forced to work despite illness,” reads part of the report.
The revelations come amid accusations by the family of former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, who has been held at Luzira Maximum Security Prison for over six months on terrorism and illegal firearms possession charges. His family claims he is being subjected to inhumane conditions, including isolation and exposure to bedbug-infested cells.
However, Uganda Prisons Service Spokesperson Frank Baine dismissed the claims in a press release dated June 20, 2025, describing them as “false and baseless.”
“The claim that the facility is infested with bedbugs used as a torture tool is grossly false. The assertion that he is in permanent isolation while also sharing a ward with 15 others is contradictory. The public is urged to disregard this misinformation and disinformation,” Baine stated.
Responding via social media, Dr. Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, rejected Baine’s statement, insisting that her husband is being held under harsh conditions.
“I stand by everything I said. Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale are being held in a highly isolated section of Luzira Prison, alongside about 15 other remand prisoners accused of being ADF terrorists. Besigye is confined to a tiny cell and a bare concrete courtyard of barely 25 square metres, where all 15 must cook, eat, and catch brief moments of sunlight,” Byanyima posted on Twitter.
In response to mounting criticism, the Uganda Prisons Service revealed that steps are being taken to revise prisoners’ wages. According to the report, skilled labour rates have been increased from UGX 500 to UGX 1,398, semi-skilled labour from UGX 250 to UGX 699, and unskilled labour from UGX 100 to UGX 280. Gratuity payments have also been raised from UGX 3,000 to UGX 8,386.
The UHRC noted that inmate labour is widely used on prison farms, in workshops, and even hired out to private farms. Common tasks include carpentry, construction, brickmaking, handicrafts, livestock and crop farming, and general gardening. Prisoners typically work from Monday to Friday for 6–8 hours daily, with lighter duties assigned on Saturdays.
Prisons Critically Overcrowded
The UHRC report paints a grim picture of prison congestion, revealing that facilities are operating at 373.2% capacity—meaning space intended for one prisoner now holds nearly four.
“Prolonged pre-trial detention contributes significantly to overcrowding and increases government spending, burdening taxpayers. Prison congestion is primarily caused by systemic issues outside the Uganda Prisons Service’s control,” the report notes.
As of January 2024, Uganda’s prisons housed 77,316 inmates against a designated capacity of just 20,996—an excess of over 56,000 prisoners. By December 2024, that number had risen to 80,076.
The Commission identified contributing factors including excessive use of imprisonment for minor offences, slow police investigations due to underfunding, and severe case backlogs in the judiciary.
It recommended increased recruitment of judicial officers, improved training for police in investigations, and expanded budget allocations for law enforcement.
“With Uganda’s prison capacity overstretched, inmates are forced to sleep on the floor or share cramped cells, violating their right to dignity. This constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, bordering on torture,” the report states.
UHRC Criticized for Inaction
Reacting to the findings, Shadow Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Jonathan Odur (Erute South), criticized the UHRC for failing to act on its constitutional mandate.
“Of the 80,000 prisoners, nearly 40,000 are on remand. The UHRC has the authority to issue orders for the release of detainees held beyond legal limits. Why are they not using it?” Odur asked.
He argued that many remand cases are politically motivated or disguised land disputes and urged reforms within the criminal justice chain—including the police, prosecutors, and judiciary.
“It is no longer acceptable to persecute Ugandans or violate their rights by detaining them indefinitely without trial. The entire justice system must recognize that this is not sustainable,” he said.
