Canon Dr. Johnson Byabasaija, addressing the press in Gulu
“We have not carried out any execution since 1999. There are currently 200 prisoners on death row. Once they finish their appeal warrant, we shall execute them, but as you already know death penalty is no longer mandatory in the judiciary. The scuffle for executions is functional. The executioner and his assistant are present. Once the President signs their death warrant, we shall execute them within 72 hours”
“I came specifically to Lugore Prison Farm which is located some 33 kilometers north of here. We want to develop it into a real commercial farm that has automatic system capable of handling 1200 acres of maize per season, to feed our prisoners and staff. Before the confusion in Uganda in the sixties and seventies, Lugore had very good infrastructures. We want to restore Lugore to that level again”
GULU-UGANDA:There are currently 200 prisoners in civil prison in Uganda on death row where 51 prisoners have been executed from a civil prison since independence. Uganda executed the last bunch of 28 prisoners on death row in a civil prison on April 29, 1999 as Uganda’s Dictator of thirty-three years; General Yoweri Museveni has not signed any death warrant since then.
This was revealed by the Commissioner General of Uganda Prison services, Canon Dr. Johnson Byabasaija, on Thursday, August 29, 2019 during a meeting with the media fraternity from Bomah Hotel in Gulu.
Under the military court martial, two prisoners were executed by firing squad in 2002, three executed in 2003 and the last recorded execution by the military took place in 2005.
He revealed that death penalty in Uganda is ‘no longer mandatory’ according to Supreme Court ruling of 2009. The delay between sentence and execution are often seen to constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and is unconstitutional.
“We have not carried out any execution since 1999. There are currently 200 prisoners on death row. Once they finish their appeal warrant, we shall execute them, but as you already know death penalty is no longer mandatory in the judiciary. The scuffle for executions is functional. The executioner and his assistant are present. Once the President signs their death warrant, we shall execute them within 72 hours”, says Canon Dr. Byabasaija.
He says Uganda currently has 59,300 inmates. Out of this, 47.2% are on remand-the major cause of congestion in prisons while 52.8% are convicts. He explains that the reason why cases are not disposed of quickly in courts of law thereby causing backlog of cases are majorly slow investigation and poor prosecution.
“Once investigations and prosecutions are done properly and professionally, judges will have no cause to delay cases. These are the major causes of backlog of cases and congestion in prisons. There will always be congestion because prisons are not a priority of government like schools and hospitals”, he explains.
He revealed that government is planning to set up a Mini Maximum Security Prison at Kitaliya in Wakiso district, to accommodate at least 2000 inmates who are long term convicts as a measure to ease congestion at Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala.
The Commissioner General of Prison was in Gulu on a three-day monitoring visit to Uganda’s largest prison farm, Lugore Prison farm, which is located some 33 kilometers north of Gulu City. This is where prison authorities intend to develop into a real commercial farm with mechanized machines capable of drying, cleaning, storage and post-harvest handling.
This year, the Prison authority have planted 1200 acres of maize, 40 acres of grafted mangoes, 20 acres of oranges and are also keeping some 300 Boran cattle for breeding purpose at Lugore. The Prison has 890 inmates (all male convicts) and 100 prison staffs.
“I came specifically to Lugore Prison Farm which is located some 33 kilometers north of here. We want to develop it into a real commercial farm that has automatic system capable of handling 1200 acres of maize per season, to feed our prisoners and staff. Before the confusion in Uganda in the sixties and seventies, Lugore had very good infrastructures. We want to restore Lugore to that level again”, he assured journalists.
He revealed that prison authorities want to increase the production of cotton as a major crop in some prisons like Orom in Kitgum district, Kaabong, Dokolo, Loro, Adjumani, Ragem and Mobuku prisons.
On the question of female inmates who have babies with them in prison, Canon. Dr. Byabasaija says there are some inmates who do not want their babies removed from them by relatives. He however says the maximum year a child can stay in prison with their mothers is three years. He says prison authorities have set up day care centers for such children.
