Kampala — THE Commissioner General of Prisons, Joseph Etima, has threatened to release some inmates if no urgent action is taken to solve the food and accommodation crisis in the department.

"Next month, I am going to propose that some prisoners be released. Don't be surprised if you see some of the people we have been keeping here (Luzira Prisons) on the streets. We can no longer contain the situation," he said.

He was speaking at the pass-out parade of 587 warders and wardresses who completed a nine-month training course at the Prisons Training School in Luzira on Friday.

"We are dealing with human beings. It's our duty to keep the inmates alive. Eating in prison is a prerequisite. Since we have no funds to cater for them, I think the Police should keep the suspects and the Judiciary should also keep the people they sentence to jail," Etima said.

He said 46 prisons with a capacity of 8,530 currently held over 20,000 inmates.

Luzira Upper Prison accommodates over 2,500, Murchison Bay Prison has 1,370 inmates.

Instead of 602 and the Condemned Section had over 500 instead of 80.

The internal affairs state minister, Dr. Kezimbira Miyingo, who was guest of honour, said the Prisons Bill would be tabled in Parliament soon.