By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr Johnson Byabashaija has supported the relocation of the Luzira prison to Buikwe as proposed by President Yoweri Museveni.
Museveni okayed the proposal by Chinese Investor Tian Tang of Tian Tiang Group to relocate Uganda’s Luzira Maximum Prison and re-develop the land into a five-star Hotel.
The President in his letter dated July 10, 2022, addressed to Internal Affairs Minister, Gen Kahinda Otafiire, revealed that he received a proposal from Tian Tang Group proposing to re-develop the Luzira Prison into a five-star Hotel, with a Conference Center and relocate the Prison, at their cost, to another place on a land identified by the government.
Museveni hence directed Minister Otafiire to implement the proposal that will see Luzira prison relocated to another designated place and allow the commencement for the construction of an International Conference and Commercial Hub Center on the land.
Appearing before the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on 5th March, 2024, chaired by the West Budama North East MP Fox Odoi, Byabashaija noted that Luzira Prison was sitting on 360 acres but they have since reduced to 271, hence the need to relocate it to a bigger land size.
“This is something we should have done 20 years ago because when Luzira was put, it was outside Kampala City, now its in the middle of the City with industries around it, it is no longer a Maxi-Prison,” he said.
The prison boss who is in agreement with President Museveni says, Luzira is a very prime land that should create jobs for Ugandans rather than be used to keep people who have had conflict with the law.
