President Yoweri Museveni as the Commander in Chief of armed forces has reappointed Dr. Johnson Omuhunde Rwashote Byabashaija as Commissioner General of Prisons who has been at the helm of Prison Services since 2005
“In exercise of the powers vested in the President under Article 216 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and in accordance with the advice of the Prisons Authority under sections 10 (1)(b) and 18 0f the Prison Act 2006; I Yoweri Kaguta Museveni do hereby renew the appointment of Dr. Johnson O. R. Byabashaija as Commissioner General of Prisons for a period of 24 months on local contract terms with effect from May 2, 2024.” Reads the Presidential appointment addressed to the Prison Authority and Minister of Internal Affairs
In 2017, Dr. Byabashaija was awarded with the JLOS Distinguished Service Award at the Recognition awards 2017 during the 22nd Joint Government of Uganda and Development Partners JLOS Annual Review conference.
Byabashaija joined Uganda Prison Service in 1982 and underwent a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Course at the Prisons Training School then he joined the prison service
He was first posted to Kigo Prison where he oversaw the prisons hatchery, for about 15 years and eventually became Officer-in-Charge of Kigo Prison.
In 1999, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Prisons and in 2000 was transferred to Prisons Headquarters as Assistant Commissioner in charge of farms inspectorate. He was later promoted to a Senior Assistant Commissioner for two years and then promoted to Deputy Commissioner General for One and half years after which he became the Commissioner General of Prisons replacing Joseph A.A. Etima who retired in 2005. He is credited for transforming prisons into a food reliant institution from prison farms, he has also overseen the growth of new facilities like Kitalya modern prisons across the regions of Uganda.
The appointment of Byabashaija reaffirms President Museveni’s confidence in the prison chief despite the fueled sanctions by the United States.
The US Department of Treasury in December last year sanctioned Dr. Byabashaija over allegations of torture in the country’s correctional facilities.
The sanction came just days after the US imposed visa restrictions on unnamed Ugandan government officials believed to be behind the alleged human rights violations and repression of marginalised groups in the country. However, this came about after Uganda enacted the Anti-Homosexuality law which Washington and other pro-gay states were against.
Dr. Byabashija recently embarked on the improvement of housing conditions in the prisons facilities for prison warders across the country.
