GASABO - Uganda’s Commissioner General of Prisons (CGP), Johnson Byabashaija, has hailed the administration and restructuring within the Rwanda Prisons Service. He said this after visiting Remera Prison in Kimironko and Kigali Central Prison in Nyarugenge yesterday."I am impressed with the organisation, systematic management and renovations, having all these people in prison under these standards,” Byabashaija said.

Byabashaija who arrived on Tuesday for a four-day visit is leading g a delegation that include the commissioner of prisons and two superintendents of prisons in Uganda
He said that they have learnt a lot from Rwanda’s temporary prisons and the plan of new ones, to be constructed.

"I am envious because Rwanda had complex situation but they have managed to make it. I wish we would make it more than Rwanda,” he said.

He said that Uganda would adopt the use of bio-gas in prisons saying that the technology  will enable them maintain the large number of prisoners.

"Prisons here are cleaner than those in Uganda,” he said
He also praised the different attire worn by prisoners to separate those sentenced from the ones who are not yet. 

He however said that there are some areas where Rwanda has to learn from his country citing carpentry, education and tailoring.

"Prisons in Uganda grow half of the food served in prisons, but this is attributed to the availability of land compared to Rwanda,” he said. 

He added that Uganda has a prisons’ staff-college for senior officers which awards wardens degrees before they become officers.

Rwanda is expected to benefit from this college during the next financial year, as per the memorandum of understanding that will be signed when Rwandan prisons officers visit Uganda in 2008.

Internal Security minister Moussa Fazil Harerimana said that the visit is in the spirit of the Great Lakes International Conference which requires exchange of programme between prison departments of member states.

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