By Diana. N. Kintu.
The Uganda Prisons Service has announced a comprehensive set of personnel changes affecting senior officers. Described as strategic, the moves aim to enhance professionalism, operational efficiency, and service delivery nationwide. The new appointments, transfers, and leave arrangements were authorised by the Commissioner General of Prisons and took effect immediately.
A key directive instructs fifty-seven senior officers who recently completed the Intermediate Command & Staff Course (ICSC-004/25) to report back to their previous stations. This ensures that advanced leadership and management skills are applied directly to operational command structures. Senior Commissioner of Prisons Frank Baine Mayanja noted that these redeployments are routine but critical, bringing refreshed expertise, improved decision-making, and strengthened supervisory capacity to their posts.
The reshuffle covers multiple regions, reflecting a nationwide effort to optimise human resources and institutional knowledge. Senior Superintendent Peter Muheki, after completing the command course, has been appointed District Prisons Commander for Gulu. Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Dorcus Polly Abalo has been transferred from Bushenyi Main Prison to become Officer in Charge at Sheema (Nyakashamiya).
Several officers have been reassigned to headquarters and Upper Prisons, including ASPs Emmanuel Hilre, Trevor Akwanya Alenyo, and Edmund Turihoahabwe. These postings aim to deploy personnel where their skills and experience can have the greatest operational impact. The service emphasises that such strategic placements are essential for maintaining high standards of leadership across all facilities.
The announcement also formalises leave arrangements. Senior Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Benjamin Lodda Magoola will proceed on accumulated leave from his previous station at Sheema. To ensure smooth transitions, all Regional and District Prisons Commanders are directed to oversee handover and takeover processes, preventing disruption of daily operations.
Analysts note that rotations like these serve several purposes: preventing institutional stagnation, broadening officers’ professional experience, and introducing fresh perspectives across facilities. By rotating staff, the service encourages adaptability, cross-facility learning, and exposure to diverse operational challenges, strengthening leadership and service quality.
Through this latest set of postings, the Uganda Prisons Service balances reintegration of trained personnel, rewarding service with leave, and filling strategic roles. The changes align with its ongoing mission to uphold security, maintain operational excellence, and support person receiving mental health treatment rehabilitation. Strategically positioning experienced officers nationwide ensures that leadership, accountability, and professionalism remain priorities.
In summary, the current personnel reshuffle is more than administrative housekeeping. It is a deliberate strategy to harness trained talent, promote institutional growth, and strengthen the leadership pipeline within Uganda’s prison system. As officers assume their new roles, the service anticipates enhanced coordination, improved operational outcomes, and a more robust correctional system capable of meeting contemporary security and rehabilitation challenges.