SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYANZA — A prison security report has revealed prevalence of genocide ideology among inmates and guards in Mpanga government prison.

According to the report dated December 10 2007, and signed by Pierre Butare and Nizeyimana Sebinyenzi, the Security and Intelligence officers respectively; prison wardens utter ethnic remarks especially after taking toxic substances.

The wardens also have reportedly been engaging in various forms of misconduct that has created insecurity in prison.

"Its evident as earlier reported that some of the guards exchange genocide ideologies after taking alcohol, and this (alcoholism) is not an excuse for using words like Interahamwe, s/he is Hutu, without any background or familiarization…..there was writing that stated- No Hutu should work here,” the report reads in part.

It added that: "However, this claim is one way of putting Tutsis in a similar position…we have found out that it’s the Hutus who actually wrote this.”

The wardens accused of propagating genocide ideology in the report include: Ildephonse Niyomusaba, J.M.V Sebakungu, Jean Baptiste Harerimana, François Xavier Mberabahizi, Emmanuel Uwimana, and François Munderere. The report also named individuals accused of misconduct.

They included: Jonathan Nduwayezu and Jean de Dieu Habimana. Others accused of alcoholism included: Vincent Nyamurangwa, JMV Nsengiyumva, JMV Rushema, JMV Sebakungu, Evariste Munyeshyaka, Yahaya Mugenzi, Jonathan Nduwayezu, and Jacques Karangira.

Some of the female guards, Godeberthe Nyirandikubwimana and Jacqueline Uwizeyimana were accused of promoting sexual encounters between the male and female inmates.

Sixbert Kayinamura, a warden, alleged that the report has created tension and witch hunting among the guards and some government officials.

Sources in the prison say Eric Ntagengwa, a warden in charge of information, has been fired under unknown circumstances.

"Some guards have been on tension after this report was released to the public, …this has resulted into witch hunting among wardens yet the administration has been told of the actions for long,” Kayinamura said.

Kayinamura added that some of the cases of misconduct cited in the report were not new in the prison and constant fights among prisoners have been common. He said three inmates are admitted at Nyanza hospital due to injuries inflicted on them from a recent fight.

Commenting on the report, John Bihingiro, the prisons Director told reporters on December 31, in Nyanza that "the claims have been worked upon and there is nothing of the sort…some of the guards have been sacked and we are trying to do our best to calm the situation.”

However, in a letter dated September 21 2007, to the Ministry of Internal security, Bihingiro named 14 wardens accused of misconduct and asked for stringent measures to be taken against them.

The wardens were accused of alcohol abuse, negligence of duty, selling alcohol to prisoners, swindling prisoners’ facilitation funds, abusing administrators, selling prison property, creating a poor mentality among staff, theft and abscond from duty.

In November, last year, Ugandan senior prisons officers led by Dr. John Byabashaija, the Commissioner General of Uganda prisons, lauded Mpanga prison management for outstanding management; for setting up reasonable strategies of reforming inmates as compared to other countries. 

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