Parliament to decide on Luzira Prisons fate

Parliament is set to determine the relocation of Luzira Prisons to make way for the construction of a five-star hotel.

A formal motion will be introduced in Parliament to determine the relocation of Luzira Prisons to make way for the construction of a five-star hotel.

This is after the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi presented a statement, that was as a result of an executive directive on the same.

The dilapidated prison built in the 1920s is facing a strain caused by the growing number of inmates and staff which now stands at 8,790 and 2,653, respectively.

Among the reasons for the proposed move is that, renovations and expanding the current Luzira facilities cost approximately Shs400 billion.

The other option is relocating the prison at government expense while retaining the land and facilities at Luzira for other purposes, while the last option is relocating the facility to another site, at a cost of Shs934 billion met by the developer.

However, Member of Parliament Hon. Asuman Basalirwa is skeptical about alleging that it is a guise to grab land adding that Tian Tang Group which is proposing to construct the hotel, is blacklisted and heavily indebted.

Kasilo County MP, Hon. Elijah Okupa wonders why there is need for such a vast expanse of land measuring 260 acres.

Hon. Eric Musana (Buyaga East County) is against relocation, suggesting that, ‘things are failing; for Luzira land, let it be a preserve of prisons, let us get land elsewhere’.

The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi says that there have been many cases where land has been given away and no development undertaken,whereas Hon. Fredrick Angura (NRM, Tororo County South) agrees with the proposal saying that all over the world,  correctional facilities are not in the city centres adding that, ‘Luzira is slowly and surely being eaten up by urbanisation’.

Erute County South MP, Hon. Jonathan Odur says a substantive motion should be presented adding that discussing on the relocation as it was, legitimizes the process, a view that Speaker Anita Among agrees with.

“We would rather have a motion and say, ‘since the land of Uganda Prisons belongs to the people of Uganda, it is in our considered opinion that, the land that is being occupied by the Uganda prisons remains a property of Uganda prisons’,” the Speaker guided.