President Museveni has given his approval to a proposal by the Chinese Tian Tang Group to transform Luzira Prison into a luxurious five-star hotel, as confirmed by the presidency on Saturday.
The decision stems from a letter dated July 10, 2022, in which President Museveni instructed Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire to engage in negotiations with the Tian Tang Group regarding the redevelopment plan. In the letter, President Museveni expressed his full support for the proposal.
“I have received a letter from Tian Tang Group proposing to re-develop the Luzira Prison into a five-star Hotel, with a conference center- and relocate the prison, at their cost, to another place in the interior on a land identified by the government,” wrote President Museveni.
The president reiterated his endorsement of the idea, directing Minister Otafiire to initiate negotiations with the Tian Tang Group and identify suitable land in Uganda’s interior for the relocation of the prison.
Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Faruk Kirunda confirmed President Museveni’s directive when contacted on Saturday, affirming the government’s commitment to the proposed transformation of Luzira Prison.
In a letter dated February 22, Maj Gen Otafiire requested an early March consultative meeting with the Attorney General to discuss the presidential instruction. He revealed that the Uganda Prisons Service had identified 3.5 square miles of land in Buikwe District, with plans to purchase 1 square mile for the prison’s relocation.
However, legal hurdles concerning the acquisition of the identified land have emerged due to the absence of letters of administration for the estate of the late Antonio Lutwama Kabogoza, the land’s owner. Despite this, Maj Gen Otafiire disclosed that the family members have agreed to sell their interest in the land to the Uganda Prisons Service.
If President Museveni’s directive is realized, it would mark the end of Luzira Prison’s existence at its current location along the shores of Lake Victoria, where it has stood since 1927.
