Relocate Luzira Prisons - officials
Dec 02, 2007
PRISONS officials want the Luzira jail relocated, saying most of its land has been given out to investors. Prisons undersecretary Simon Kimono told the parliamentary public accounts committee on Friday that out of 480 acres of land, 100 acres were allocated to investors.
By Mary Karugaba
PRISONS officials want the Luzira jail relocated, saying most of its land has been given out to investors. Prisons undersecretary Simon Kimono told the parliamentary public accounts committee on Friday that out of 480 acres of land, 100 acres were allocated to investors.
Kimono said the Uganda Investments Authority (UIA) got 62.3 acres to set up an industrial park, 20 acres were given to an Italian investor who had promised to establish a heart hospital and a charity built a secondary school on 20 acres.
“If the Government thinks the Prisons land is good for investors, let them relocate us. We are losing everything and we are not being compensated,†Kimono complained. He observed that the Uganda Land Commission sold the land to UIA without consulting them.
The Prisons officials were appearing before the committee to answer queries raised in the Auditor General’s 2005/06 financial year report.
The report observed that Luzira’s land was allocated to UIA at a reduced cost to support the industrialisation programme in Kampala. It also noted that despite several reminders, most Prisons land lacked titles.
The committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi (FDC) also heard that Prisons land in Rwimi and Mubuku in Kasese district was given to Basongora pastoralists.
PRISONS officials want the Luzira jail relocated, saying most of its land has been given out to investors. Prisons undersecretary Simon Kimono told the parliamentary public accounts committee on Friday that out of 480 acres of land, 100 acres were allocated to investors.
Kimono said the Uganda Investments Authority (UIA) got 62.3 acres to set up an industrial park, 20 acres were given to an Italian investor who had promised to establish a heart hospital and a charity built a secondary school on 20 acres.
“If the Government thinks the Prisons land is good for investors, let them relocate us. We are losing everything and we are not being compensated,†Kimono complained. He observed that the Uganda Land Commission sold the land to UIA without consulting them.
The Prisons officials were appearing before the committee to answer queries raised in the Auditor General’s 2005/06 financial year report.
The report observed that Luzira’s land was allocated to UIA at a reduced cost to support the industrialisation programme in Kampala. It also noted that despite several reminders, most Prisons land lacked titles.
The committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi (FDC) also heard that Prisons land in Rwimi and Mubuku in Kasese district was given to Basongora pastoralists.