The Uganda Prisons Service on the 21 June 2024 passed
out 70 officers who completed the Junior Command and staff Course at the
Prisons Academy and Training School. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj. Gen.
(Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire graced the occasion.

Uganda Prisons Service
(UPS) in its transformation from punitive to correctional productive service,
is professionalizing its staff through a number of Service courses for human
capital development in fulfilling its constitutional mandate of safe custody
and rehabilitation of offenders.

The Junior Command and
Staff Course is aimed at equipping officers with Command and staff leadership
skills, which will enable them to effectively and efficiently manage, as well
as supervise activities in different areas of responsibilities.

While delivering his
speech during the commissioning and pass-out ceremony of the Prisons Junior
Command and Staff Course, Hon. Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire congratulated the
officers on successfully completing the rigorous training. "You have
undergone intense preparation for leadership roles," he said. "As
Principal Officers, you will oversee day-to-day management and operations of
the Prison Service."

Hon. Otafiire,
challenged the graduates to continue utilizing capacity-building initiatives
and strive for excellence, emphasizing that their new positions come with great
responsibility. He stressed the importance of rehabilitation, noting,
"Nobody is born a criminal; crimes result from environmental
factors." He commended Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, Commissioner General of
Prisons, for achieving the continent's lowest recidivism rate through
rehabilitation and reintegration.

The Minister urged the
officers to: - Ensure stability, peace, and prosperity - Foster patriotism and
democracy - Share ideas and promote harmony He concluded with a call to action:
"Carry on our legacy for the past 40 years. You are now part of the
leadership that will shape the future of our nation." The ceremony marked
a milestone in the officers' careers, equipping them with the skills and
knowledge necessary to excel in their roles.

The, Commissioner General of Prisons, Can. Dr. Johnson
Byabashaija, highlighted key progress made by the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS)
in staff accommodation, human resource capacity building and prisoners' holding
capacity. "We have constructed 1,577 staff housing units since FY2020/21,
increasing the proportion of staff properly housed from 31.8% to 48.9%,"

Dr. Byabashaija said. Currently, 582 staff houses are
under construction at various locations, including Luzira, Muinaina, and Amita,
Ruimi, Masaka, Hoima, Ngogwe, Lukaya, Ssaza, Mityana, Lira, Kitalya Farm,
Ragem, Ibuga, Kibaale, Kijjumba, Isimba, Sentema, Kitalya Mini Max, Luzira,
Kyenjojo, Kaweeri, Mityana Main, Lwabenge, Kaiti, Erute, Nebbi, Kagadi, Magala,
Kigandalo, Mitoma, Kyazanga, and Busesa. Dr. Byabashaija also revealed that the
Service is building more prisoners' wards, with some already completed and
others are expected to be finished by January 2025. "This has increased
our prisoners' holding capacity from 20,773 to 21,126," he added. A joint
infrastructure project with the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Directorate of
Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) under

the Ministry of Internal Affairs is also
underway, expected to provide 69,000 staff housing units, with 15,000 allocated
to UPS staff.

CGP, Dr. Byabashaija emphasized the importance of staff
training, citing the Junior Command and Staff Course, which has seen 518
officers trained since 2005. "We have enhanced the capacity of 3,442
prison officers through specialized training courses in the last three
years," he said.

The Acting Commandant of the Prisons Academy and
Training School, ACP Mary Centenary, congratulated the 70 graduating officers,
comprising 60 males and 10 females of the 6^th intake of the Junior
Command and Staff Course , who underwent a 4 months of training.

The officers were drawn from various Prisons stations
and Installations and covered 14 modules.

ACP Centenary applauded the officers for their
discipline and resilience, thanking their spouses and families for their
support. She also expressed gratitude to the dedicated trainers, Officers in
Charge from Kampala Extra Region, and the top leadership of the Uganda Prisons
Service (UPS) for their guidance and support. Addressing the officers, she
charged them to utilize their acquired skills and knowledge to make a positive
impact in their units and communities.

The Uganda Prison
Service (UPS) proudly recognized its top-performing officers during the Junior
Command and Staff Course commissioning and passout ceremony at Prisons Academy
and Training School, Luzira.

BEST IN DISCIPLINE: PO
II FRED BUMBIRYA He stood out for
his exceptional discipline, earning him the award for Most Disciplined. His
calm demeanor, cooperativeness, smartness, and respect for others made him a
shining example.

BEST IN ACADEMICS (MALE): PO II POSIANO NASIIMA He
impressed with his brightness, open-mindedness, confidence, and extensive
knowledge. His academic excellence earned him the top spot among his male
counterparts.

BEST IN ACADEMICS
(FEMALE): PO II STUDENT ANONCIATA She demonstrated exceptional intelligence, smartness, cooperativeness, and
self-drive. Her outstanding academic performance made her the top female
officer.

BEST OVERALL (FEMALE CATEGORY): PO II SIRAGI KAPERE He
exemplified dedication, teamwork, smartness, politeness, discipline, and
leadership skills. His well-rounded performance earned him the All-Round Best
Officer award.

BEST OVERALL (FEMALE CATEGORY): PO II JANE FRANCES AMUSUGUT
Her brilliance, humility, articulateness, maturity, and sound decision-making
skills garnered special recognition.