Prison Officers Who Force Inmates to Kneel Will Face Disciplinary Action, Nabbanja Says

What the report says

Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has said prison officers who require inmates to kneel or sit on the floor while meeting visitors could face disciplinary action. According to Nile Post, she told parliament that such treatment is not part of Uganda Prisons Service procedure and does not align with rules on how visits should be handled.

Nabbanja was responding to concerns raised by Bbale County MP Charles Tebandeke, who had complained about what he described as degrading treatment in some prison facilities. She said prison regulations allow for proper seating arrangements during visits and stressed that imprisonment does not remove a person’s right to human dignity.

The issue gained wider attention after academic and social media activist Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo described visiting Luzira Prison and noting that inmates were made to kneel when addressed by wardens. The practice sparked public debate online, with critics arguing that it was humiliating and inconsistent with human rights standards.

Nile Post reported that several legislators welcomed Nabbanja’s position and called for stronger enforcement of humane prison standards. More broadly, prison conditions and treatment of detainees are often debated in Uganda and elsewhere, especially where concerns arise about dignity, discipline and the balance between security and rights.