Opposition strongman and People’s Front for Transition leader Dr Kizza Besigye wants the government to stop exploiting inmates in various prisons to cultivate on farms of wealthy individuals.
The former Forum for Democratic Change FDC president says while in jail at Luzira, he witnessed hundreds of prisoners being transported in trucks to dig in people’s gardens as forced labour, despite being on remand.
Besigye was thrown into jail two weeks ago after he rejected 30 Million Shillings cash bail ruling granted to him by the Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Sienna Owomugisha. He was slapped with charges of inciting violence for protesting high commodity prices in downtown Kampala.
The opposition heavy weight narrated his experience at Luzira to a gathering at the Justice Forum party- JEEMA headquarters Mengo on Friday. He was launching a campaign under his pressure group dubbed “State of crisis in Uganda”.
Besigye notes that prisoners on remand are entitled to as much freedom as people out on bail and are not supposed to be working. He said inmates on remand are still innocent until proven guilty and don’t deserve to be used like criminals.
“Someone on remand has no case to answer, they are supposed to be free like other citizens and not working, their only job is to be transported to court and then back . Even prison uniform shouldBut instead prisoners are being used to dig in gardens. When I was in Luzira, five inmates including some on remand died in an accident in Luwero on the way to cultivate someone’s garden. “ he said
At least five inmates from Butuntumula prison have died on the spot and several others escaped with injuries together with their warders in an accident along the Kampala-Gulu highway. a.
The accident in Nalongo village, Luwero district involved a prison truck registration UG 0363U destined for Nakasongola and Toyota Wish registration number UBG 587W heading in the opposite direction.
The prison truck was transporting 54 inmates and 12 prison warders to undisclosed farms. Living Twazagye.
The Luwero District Police Commander said the accident occurred after the Toyota Wish sustained a tyre burst and lost control before it rammed into the prison truck forcing it to overturn.
Besigye was arrested from Arua Park where he was addressing crowds and taken to the Central Police Station in Kampala. He was later transferred to Nagalama Police Station where he spent a night before being jailed.
