Kampala — THE parliamentary committee on public accounts has ordered prison authorities to stop hiring out inmates to work on people's farms.

The committee, chaired by Rebecca Amuge (Lira), said it was illegal to subject prisoners to working on people's farms since the money from such activities was not recorded.

Buvuma MP William Nsubuga said inmates were tortured when they went for such labour, in addition to making them work on Sundays and public holidays.

Ntenjeru South MP Tom Kazibwe said prison officials in his constituency connived with state attorneys to keep able-bodied inmates on remand for long in order for them to continue providing labour to individuals as the officials benefit.

The MPs noted that inmates work for government officials. They cited economic monitoring minister Vincent Nyanzi as one of those who hires inmates.

"This is an illegal act . Inmates should only provide labour for the good of the nation but not for a few individuals," Amuge stated. In Rwanda and Tanzania, it is legal to hire inmates to work on individuals' farms.

The prison's under secretary, Simon Kimono, noted that it was unfortunate that it was the Government officials hiring out inmates for cheap labour instead of protecting them from such exploitation.

Kimono said it would be difficult to fight the vice because it starts at the grassroots.

Prisons officials had appeared before the committee to answer queries raised in the Auditor General's report for the 2006/2007 financial year.