Ugandan Authorities have banned the country’s prison staff from using mobile phones throughout the World Cup period, warning that inmates could take advantage of the “excitement” surrounding the tournament to stage escapes.
This was disclosed by the spokesperson to the Commissioner-General of Prison, Frank Mayanja Baine in a statement on Monday November 21, 2022.
“The start of the football World Cup tournament on 20 November 2022 and its excitement could lead to prisoner escapes,” the statement read.
“Staff should not report to work with phones as they distract and interfere with the level of vigilance,” the statement added, ordering prison officials to tighten security in areas “where prisoners may be watching football”.
Large-scale prison escapes are common in Uganda’s often overcrowded prisons.
In September 2007, more than 200 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in the Karamoja region in the northeast of the country.
In 2006, 500 inmates also escaped from a prison in Arua, in the West Nile region (north-west).
Uganda has over 6,000 inmates in its prisons, according to official records.
