Big Crisis: Overcrowding Hits Uganda Prisons, Over 80,000 Inmates Packed In Space Built For 23,000

By Swift Reporter

Uganda’s prisons are operating at more than three times their official capacity, prompting authorities to seek an additional UGX75.1 billion to expand infrastructure and ease a congestion crisis that officials warn could worsen sharply by 2030.

Appearing before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee on March 31, 2026, officials from the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) said the country’s inmate population has surged to over 80,000, far exceeding the system’s holding capacity of just about 23,000.

Undersecretary Samuel Emigu told MPs the service is grappling with an excess of more than 56,000 inmates, translating into an occupancy rate of roughly 345%.

“For every one space available, we effectively have four inmates occupying it,” Emigu said. “This situation demands urgent intervention in planning and infrastructure.”

UPS is now proposing the construction of 50 prison wards, three local security prisons, and additional regional maximum-security facilities to manage the growing inmate population.

Officials warned that, if current trends persist, Uganda’s prison population could rise to 111,822 inmates by 2030, driven largely by a 7% annual growth rate.

Deputy Commissioner General Samuel Akena said as of March 30, 2026, the prison population comprised 42,340 convicts and over 37,000 remand prisoners, highlighting a persistent backlog in the criminal justice system.

A significant contributor to overcrowding is the high number of inmates on remand, many held for prolonged periods before trial.

Minister of Internal Affairs Kahinda Otafiire acknowledged systemic delays in the justice process, noting that some offenders serve longer time on remand than the sentence they would receive upon conviction.

“We have people who should serve six months but end up spending three years on remand because cases are not heard in time,” Otafiire said.

He called for increased investment not only in prison infrastructure but also in the judiciary and prosecutorial systems to speed up case disposal.

While UPS officials identified the long-awaited parole system, provided for under Uganda’s legal framework, as a potential relief mechanism, its rollout remains constrained by funding gaps.

Akena told MPs that although regulations are near completion and implementation is expected in the 2026/27 financial year, only UGX1 billion has been allocated out of the UGX9.2 billion required. “Parole is a game changer, but it is expensive to implement. It requires supervision, coordination with local governments, and monitoring systems,” Akena said.

The proposed system would allow eligible convicts, not remand prisoners, to serve part of their sentences under supervised release, in line with international best practices on correctional services.

Committee Chairperson Wilson Kajwengye described the situation as alarming, pointing out that Uganda’s prisoner population now exceeds the number of police officers. “The prisoner population is bigger than the police population, something to ponder about,” Kajwengye remarked.

Government officials and legislators agreed that no single intervention will resolve the crisis.

State Minister for Internal Affairs David Muhoozi emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach, combining expansion of prison infrastructure; faster case disposal by courts; implementation of parole and non-custodial sentences and reforms targeting prolonged remand detention

“We need more than one intervention, address remand delays, expand space, and explore alternatives,” Muhoozi said.

Otafiire noted that much of Uganda’s prison infrastructure dates back to the 1920s and 1960s, with limited expansion despite rapid population growth.

“The population has grown, but prison space has not. We must invest in new facilities,” he said.

For the 2026/27 financial year, Uganda Prisons Service has been allocated UGX526.6 billion, with a significant portion earmarked for managing congestion pressures, though officials say this remains insufficient to meet infrastructure and reform needs.