UGANDAN WOMEN INMATES ARE DEMANDING TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE SEX WITH THEIR HUSBANDS WITHIN THE PRISON WALLS.

REPORTS leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

WOMEN inmates at Luzira main Prison in Uganda have asked to be granted the right to have sex with their husbands within the prison walls!!

This, they argued would help in the speedy rehabilitation of prisoners, the government owned daily the NEWVISION reported this morning.

The report appearing in latest edition says, the demand was made on Tuesday this week  at the Luzira Prison’s Women Wing during a ceremony to mark the International Human Rights Day.

The Luzira Prison, which is located about 9 miles east of the capital on the western shoreline of Lake Victoria has a special women wing, which the report says is currently holding  306  prisoners.

The notable among the inmates was Miss Lydia Draru, the woman who last month confessed to killing the former UPDF Commander in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also in South Sudan, Major-General James Kazini.  She is currently remanded in this facility while waiting for her murder trial to commence on dates yet to be fixed by the High Court.

The plea by women inmates was delivered to the guests by a prison’s women choir in a song entitled “Rehabilitation in Prison”, saying it was their inalienable right.

However, the Commissioner General of Prisons in Uganda, Mr Johnson Byabasaijja, rejected the plea out rightly, saying the privileges cannot be granted under the prevailing situation.
The Commissioner was further quoted as saying that the Uganda Prison Service has far more pressing issues to deal with, like improving the welfare of prisoners.

“We are not in a position to even talk about conjugal rights now. We have to get you enough rooms, together with basics. After that then we will be able to talk about these rights,” Byabasaijja said.

When contacted by the paper to give his legal opinion over the issue, one Kampala lawyer, Mr Isac Afuna commented, saying that every married woman prisoner has a right to have sex with her spouse.

“Currently, the people have not yet pushed for it. But a married woman prisoner has a right to enjoy her conjugal rights,” the lawyer said.

Several countries have provisions allowing prisoners conjugal rights. These include the United States, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Denmark, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony was jointly organized by Human Rights Network and the Uganda Human Right Commission.

Guests included the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda, Joroen Verhaul. The visit to Luzira main Prison, was intended to show solidarity with women prisoners and raise awareness on human rights concerns.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com