The Uganda Prisons Service has announced heightened alert, running until mid-February.
This, according to the Prison authorities is aimed at tightening security during the election period and the holidays, as its field force unit continues joint operations with police and the army.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commissioner General of Prisons placed the entire service on the highest level of operational readiness short of an emergency, a move that significantly restricts leave and requires officers to remain on immediate call.
“This is in preparation for the festive season and the upcoming general elections,” the statement said.
Under the Standby Class One directive, prison authorities have ordered the strengthening of safety, security and intelligence operations across all prison units, alongside enhanced coordination with sister security and intelligence agencies.
Routine patrols within and around prison facilities and staff barracks are to be intensified, while access by unauthorised persons has been restricted.
Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine said the decision was intended to ensure maximum readiness during what he described as a sensitive period.
“A Standby Class One means that all officers must remain vigilant and immediately available for duty. Prison security, intelligence gathering and coordination with other agencies must be strengthened to prevent any disruption during this critical period,” Baine said.
The directive suspends hired prisoners’ labour, commonly known as kibarua, and limits staff leave to only exceptional cases.
Prisoner visitations will also be suspended on specific dates during the Christmas and New Year holidays, as well as in mid-January 2026.
Baine warned that compliance would be strictly enforced, saying, “Any Officer in Charge who fails to comply with these guidelines will be personally held responsible.”
The declaration comes as Uganda enters the peak of the 2026 election campaign season, marked by heightened political activity, large rallies and repeated confrontations between opposition supporters and security forces.
In recent months, the Uganda Prisons Service Field Force Unit, a specialised, armed wing trained for high-risk deployments, has increasingly been deployed alongside the Police and the military to reinforce crowd control operations.
The unit has been visibly active during rallies of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine, drawing public attention and criticism from opposition figures and rights groups.
Although the Prisons Service is primarily mandated to manage inmates and correctional facilities, the law allows it to support other security agencies during emergencies or operations deemed critical to public order.
Authorities have previously defended the deployment of the field force unit as lawful and necessary in periods of heightened insecurity.
The Standby Class One period is set to run until February 15, 2026, covering both the festive season and the most intense phase of election campaigns, when security agencies traditionally operate on high alert to prevent unrest, prison breakouts or politically linked violence.