TAKEAWAYS

• Faiza Fabz recounted her experience in Luzira Prison after being arrested during anti-corruption protests.
• She said the reality of incarceration fully sank in at night when inmates were locked in their cells and lights were switched off.
• The activist described prison life as difficult and emphasized that getting out is often much harder than people assume.

Media personality and activist Faiza Fabz has opened up about her experience in prison following her arrest during the anti-corruption March2Parliament protests that happened back in 2024, describing the reality of incarceration as far more difficult than many people imagine.

Speaking on the Mind Your Head podcast hosted by Canary Mugume and Sheila Tusiime, Faiza reflected on the time she spent in prison after being arrested during demonstrations against government corruption.

Faiza was among a number of Ugandans who participated in protests aimed at calling attention to corruption issues in the country. Following her arrest, she was detained at Luzira Prison, where she experienced firsthand the realities of prison life.

According to her, the moment the gravity of her situation truly hit her was not during the arrest or processing, but later in the evening when it was time to sleep.

“The moment where it actually sinked in that I’m inside prison was when it was time to go to sleep,” she explained.

She revealed that prison lights are switched off at around 7:30 p.m., with inmates expected to be in bed by 8:00 p.m. It was during those quiet hours, after the adrenaline of the day had worn off, that she fully grasped the reality of being behind bars.

In a crowded prison cell, she found herself reflecting on her circumstances and realizing that freedom was no longer something she could take for granted.

Faiza described the experience as terrible, noting that the nights felt particularly long and difficult. She said it was during those moments that time seemed to move at its slowest.

“When you settle in, you realize that getting out of there isn’t as easy as it looks,” she said.

She further explained that regardless of the nature of an inmate’s offense, prison is a serious experience. In her case, she noted that the political nature of her arrest added another layer of uncertainty and difficulty.

“It might be a minor issue in terms of the law but it’s actually serious,” she added.