Stakeholders within Uganda’s criminal justice system have called for innovative measures in citizen identification to overcome obstacles hindering the effective implementation of parole in prisons.
According to Frank Baine, the Uganda Prisons spokesperson, multiple identification irregularities among convicts are rendering the prison’s act, particularly Section 89 which empowers the commissioner to grant parole, redundant.
“The inactivity of the law is due to multiple factors,” Baine said.
He urged the National Identification Registration Authority(NIRA) to learn from other countries’ practices in registering citizens’ identities, emphasizing the crucial role of accurate identification in enabling the implementation of Parole.
“We need a robust identification system to support the essence of Parole in our prisons,” urged Baine.
The legal community expresses concern over the inactivity of such a sensitive law, asserting that it deprives convicts of a second chance in society.
Zzimbe Zephania, a criminal law advocate, questions the capacity of monitoring paroled convicts when the identification of criminals itself poses challenges.
“To error is human, and denying convicts a chance at rehabilitation hinders societal progress,” Zzimbe said.
Lawyers further call for a shift in mentality, discouraging the view of a sentence as mere revenge on a convict.
“We must move away from a punitive mindset and embrace the rehabilitation potential of Parole.”
During the delivery of the access to justice report, the Ministry of Justice said there is a need for shs103 billion to construct over 4000 prisons across the country.
With a focus on enhancing parole, questions arise regarding whether this investment will lead to the relief of over 77,000 inmates in all detention centres.
This call for innovation in citizen identification stands as a crucial step towards revitalizing the Parole system and ensuring a more rehabilitative approach within Uganda’s criminal justice system
