By Our Reporter
Phaneero Ministries International has embarked on a journey of providing Bibles to inmates in Uganda.
The ministry said this allows each one to have access to the Word of God and its life-changing message.
They recently launched this campaign noting that Christians can contribute towards it, and as such “demonstrate the unfailing power of God’s grace and love.”
Aside Bibles, Phaneero also hopes to provide among other items; a sewing machine, scholastic materials, PA system, cement, mattresses, sanitary pads, soap and blankets.
Prisons in Uganda expected to benefit from the initiative include Kitalya Maximum Security Prison for both men and women.
Others are Nakasongola Prison which accommodates over 600 inmates and Kigo Prison located in Wakiso District.
Just recently, the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, told judicial officers and prosecutors that Uganda has the highest percentage of inmates on remand in East Africa.
This, according to the prisons boss, has caused congestion in Uganda’s 223 prisons.
Currently Uganda has 52 per cent remand inmate population against the 47.1 per cent, who are convicts.
According to a report released by the World Prison brief, Uganda’s prisons are 293.2% occupied revealing a severe overcrowding that needs to be quickly fixed to avoid a catastrophe, a local news daily reported recently.
Speaking to Voice of America, Dr. James Kisambu, the head of prison health services, was quoted as saying the crowding had led to spike in diseases, including in the MDR-TB MDR-TB – a deadly drug resistant strain of tuberculosis.
That aside, The Uganda prisons authorities in June this year blamed the increasing cases of homosexuality among inmates on trading their bodies for better feeding and protection.
“Prison conditions compromise anybody to do something they cannot do outside prison. Some inmates may indulge in transactional sex maybe because they need to feed better or for better security,” Dr Kisambu said in an interview.
The Schedule:
23 November – Kitalya prison
24th November – Nakasongola Prison
25th November – Kigo prison
