Parliament approves Samuel Akena's reappointment as deputy Prisons boss

KAMPALA - Parliament has approved Samuel Akena's reappointment for another three-year term as the deputy Commissioner General of Prisons.

He was first appointed to the position by President Yoweri Museveni in August 2022, replacing James Lwanga, whose contract had expired three months earlier.

The Appointments Committee of Parliament on Thursday (March 12) vetted Akena, who was recently reappointed.

Chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, the committee assessed whether Akena had the required competencies to continue doing the work.

By the time of writing this story, New Vision Online had not yet got the full details of the closed proceedings of the committee, but some sources said he had been approved.

"The committee’s report will be compiled and subsequently forwarded to the appointing authority as dictated by the rules,” the Speaker, who is also the Bukedea Woman MP, said on X, formerly Twitter, after vetting the official at Parliament.

Before you can become a Commissioner General or deputy Commissioner General, you must first be vetted by the appointments committee, and if found competent, you take the oath of office.

Akena is a seasoned administrator with vast experience in correctional services, according to the Uganda Prisons Service.

Before his appointment to this position, he served as assistant Commissioner General in charge of Correctional Services Directorate from 2016 to 2022. 

The Prisons says Akena played a key role in its transformation, ensuring safe, secure, and humane custodial services.