The Commissioner General of Prisons, Johnson Byabashaija, has assured MPs that inmates requiring specialised care that the prisons service cannot provide, are allowed access to their personal doctors.
Appearing before the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs on Thursday, 06 August 2026, chaired by Hon. Robina Rwakoojo, Byabashaija was responding to concerns raised by MPs.
The concerns included the health and medical treatment of high-profile remand prisoners, including veteran Opposition politician, Dr Kizza Besigye and former Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago.
Kampala District Woman MP, Hon. Shamim Malende sought answers on the access to medical services by Besigye.
“How is Uganda Prisons service dealing with the issue of health complications that prisoners encounter. Some prisoners enter prison when they are on strong medication and they have personal doctors that they usually have access to, but I see when they are in prison they only access medication in prison which is not adequate,” she said.
Hon. Joseph Ssewungu (NUP, Kalungu West) said: “Erias Lukwago has strong medical reports from Mulago National Referral Hospital and they have given very pertinent observations about his health, but maybe what you are informing the Judiciary is not matching with what is coming from the hospital.”
However, Byabashaija said that prisoners have access to their own physicians and have been going to the facilities of their choice.
"A person who is not yet convicted can have access to his personal physician. We can even take you to facilities of your choice. We have been taking one of these inmates for specialised tests at his doctor's clinic," he said.
He added that the prison is flexible in ensuring prisoners are in good health and they rely on the doctor’s recommendations.
"If we cannot handle your condition, the doctors determine where you should be referred. We can take you to Mulago or any other appropriate health facility," he said.
Byabashaija also raised concern over prison congestion which he says is being driven largely by prolonged delays in the criminal justice system, with some inmates spending as long as 12 years awaiting trial.
He said prisons continue to receive inmates committed for trial by the High Court but with no timeline for when their cases will be heard.
"When somebody is committed to the High Court for trial, the Director of Public Prosecutions has already examined the file and decided the case should proceed to trial. Nothing happens after that. We have to wait for the court to call the person," he said.
He added that, "the person who has waited the longest in our custody has been there for 12 years waiting for his trial to be fixed. Is that justice?"
The Commissioner General said the Uganda Prisons Service regularly notifies both the Judiciary and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions about inmates who have overstayed on remand through quarterly submissions known as Prison Form 30.
He also called for greater use of non-custodial measures for offenders who do not pose a threat to society.
"We should not have people charged with small land matters in prison. Prison should be reserved for people who are a danger to the security of the population," he said.
Responding to concerns about inmates suffering from mental illness, Byabashaija said prisons often receive suspects who have never undergone psychiatric assessment before appearing in court.
He said Uganda Prisons Service has established a special ward for mentally ill inmates within the prison system and receives psychiatric support from Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital.
To provide better care, he says the service is finalising plans to construct a specialised mental health facility for prisoners at Butabika Hospital.
Relatedly, Byabashaija revealed that the proposed relocation of Luzira Maximum Security Prison remains a concept as they are yet to secure an investor with the capacity to undertake the project.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
