Gulu Residents Ban Prison Warders from Trading Center

(Gulu) – Tensions have risen between Gulu district residents and staff at Lugore Prison over accusations of theft and community access issues.

Persistent conflicts involving Uganda Prison Services staff at Lugore Prison and neighboring residents have prompted Gulu district authorities to convene an emergency security meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29, 2024, in Lugore, marking the second such meeting in recent days, following an earlier attempt on Friday that was rejected by the community.

The tensions have arisen from accusations made by prison staff that locals are stealing prison property. In response to these allegations, the prison staff closed a pathway that connects the neighborhood to Lugore Health Centre II and Patiko Prisons Farm Primary School. This closure has further escalated frustrations among community members.

On Friday, after the failed dialogue at a hilltop inside Lugore Prison, aggrieved residents demanded that prison warders refrain from entering the Lugore trading center. This led to a confrontation that included gunfire from the prison staff, causing panic among the villagers. Gulu Resident District Commissioner John Bosco Tumwesigyi indicated that security officials are considering another emergency meeting to address the growing tensions.

Gulu district LC5 chairperson Christopher Opiyo Ateker criticized the prison service for firing at civilians. He acknowledged that he ordered the unconditional release of several locals who had been detained by prison guards during these events. Lugore LC1 chairperson Geoffrey Nyeko Dero stated that they enforced a lockdown on the Lugore trading center and barred prison warders from entering the community due to the lack of access to the prison’s road.

The situation has also affected residents’ access to local institutions. On Sunday, residents were denied entry to Patiko Prison Farm Primary School, where they typically gather for prayers. Similarly, on Monday, Catholic parishioners attempting to celebrate St. Jude were turned away from the chapel.

The community has expressed frustration with the local police’s response to the theft incidents reported by the prisons. According to Aswa West Police community liaison officer Moses Ogwang, there have been repeated theft allegations against certain community members despite ongoing community policing efforts. Northern region prisons commander Margaret Orik Obonyo stated that she had not received an intelligence briefing from the officer in charge of the station in Lugore.