Kabale Prisons Boss Urges Church, Community to Support Inmate Rehabilitation

What the report says

The Uganda Prisons Service has called for stronger support from churches and local communities to help inmates rehabilitate and successfully return to society after serving their sentences. According to Nile Post, the appeal was made by Senior Superintendent of Prisons Julius Kisembo, the Officer in Charge of Ndorwa Government Prison, during a thanksgiving Mass for prison officers at Christ the King Catholic Parish in Kabale Municipality.

Kisembo said people should not see prisoners only through the crimes they committed, but also as members of society who can change. He said the prison system provides more than detention, including skills, discipline and moral guidance meant to prepare inmates for life after release. He urged Christians to do more than donate food, calling instead for regular visits that offer encouragement and hope.

He also thanked Kabale Diocese, parish priests, prison chaplains and the Legion of Mary for their spiritual support to inmates. Kisembo said many prisoners at Ndorwa are young people, with about 80% between 18 and 35 years old, and linked some offending to drug abuse and alcoholism. He asked parents, elders and local leaders to take a bigger role in guiding youth and resolving minor disputes before they become criminal cases.

The broader issue matters because rehabilitation and reintegration are often seen as key to reducing repeat offending. In the same service, a missionary priest urged Christians to remain faithful in difficult times and continue prayer and thanksgiving.