President Museveni is set to retire his uncle and also the longest serving Uganda Prisons Commissioner General Dr Johnson Byabashaija according to highly placed State House sources that talked to Ono Bwino.
In 2020, Museveni defied former speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga who chaired the Parliament’s Appointments Committee decision on not approving Byabashaija’s reappointment on grounds that he had reached the retirement age of 60 years.
The President insisted that the man should continue running the prisons service on contract basis.
In 2024, he was added another contract which is expiring next month according to State House sources and search for his replacement is at the tail end.
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Sources divulged that a few months back, Byabashaija approached President Museveni and pleaded with him to be allowed to retire citing personal issues including those related to his health and family which the president allowed.
He directed his people to search for his replacement and according to sources, his successor will be picked from Prisons leadership but with a military background so that prisons continues coordinating with other security agencies.
Prisons being a home for highly skilled and ruthless criminals that were involved in terrorism, armed robberies, murder and very important politicians who need a lot of security for the good of the country, sources claim that Special Forces Command (SFC) took control of part of the security command especially at Luzira Upper maximum-security prison, Murchison Bay Wing prison, Kigo and Kitalya prisons.
Among the suitable replacements is Byabashaija’s deputy Samuel Akena who was re-appointed by Museveni this month.
Prison sources disclosed that Byabashaija who was sanctioned by United States, United Kingdom and European Union countries over human rights violation is planning to spend his retirement time doing humanitarian work including serving in church and running his private businesses.
Last week, he was elected the head of laity for North Kigezi Diocese.
Sources disclosed that he is one of the richest Ugandans even though part of his wealth was freezed by countries that sanctioned him.
