The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has passed out 58 officers who successfully completed the Intermediate Command and Staff Course, a specialised programme designed to strengthen leadership, analytical skills, and professional competence within the country’s correctional system.
The graduation marks yet another milestone in UPS’s ongoing efforts to build a highly skilled and efficient workforce capable of meeting evolving correctional and security demands.
The intensive course focuses on problem-solving, leadership development, analytical and critical thinking, as well as effective management techniques.
These competencies are increasingly essential as the Uganda Prisons Service works to align its operations with modern correctional standards and national development priorities.
According to ACP Mary Centinary, the Acting Commandant of the Prisons Academy and Training School (PATS), delivery of the course relied on a diverse and highly skilled pool of instructors.
“The course was delivered majorly by the Academy’s Directing Staff, facilitators from the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Makerere University lecturers, and other carefully selected experts,” she explained.
ACP Centinary added that the overall aim of the programme is to “equip prison officers with advanced intellectual and practical skills relevant to correctional management.”
She emphasised that as the country’s correctional needs evolve, UPS must invest in a cadre of officers who are not only disciplined and committed, but also equipped with the knowledge to innovate, manage complex challenges, and lead effectively.
Speaking as the guest of honour, Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who represented Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, underscored the central role of the Uganda Prisons Service in upholding law, justice, and national stability. He noted that a secure and law abiding society is vital for investment, economic growth, and national transformation.
“Continuous professional development of security institutions has a strategic bearing on overall productivity and performance, contributing significantly to national development,” Lt. Gen. Musanyufu said. He highlighted that security agencies today play a much broader role than traditional law enforcement they are now key drivers of human capital development. This is achieved through professional skills training, participation in strategic production of goods and services, and building resilience for sustainable economic development.
He expressed appreciation to the Commissioner General of Prisons for strengthening UPS’s institutional capacity. “I therefore wish to thank the Commissioner General Prisons for your leadership and for positioning the Uganda Prisons Service as a strategic partner in national development,” he said.
On his part, the Commissioner General of Prisons, CGP Can. Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, outlined the strategic direction of the Uganda Prisons Service, emphasising ongoing initiatives to improve infrastructure and enhance staff welfare. These priorities, according to Lt. Gen. Musanyufu, are expected to address some of the critical constraints currently faced by the institution.
Dr. Byabashaija commended the graduates for their commitment and urged them to remain focused on professionalism and ethical service.
He also highlighted the realities facing the Service, revealing that the national prison population currently stands at 78,959 inmates, of whom 50 percent are convicted prisoners.
He noted that congestion remains a major challenge, with limited space affecting effective rehabilitation and correctional programmes.
Among the officers who graduated from the course were SSP Henry Alone Natwaluma, SSP Alfred Nuwatuha, SP Brenda Fassie Abaasa, and SP Mary Kobusinge. The successful completion of the course positions them for greater leadership responsibilities within the Uganda Prisons Service.
The ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment by UPS leadership to strengthen the competence of its officers and reinforce the Service’s contribution to national security and development.