By Watera Atai,
KAMPALA
A chinese investor is to build a luxurious five-star hotel on Luzira Prison land. This is after a letter from Museveni to Internal Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire saying investors from Tian Tang group, a Chinese investment agency have expressed serious interest in the 460 acres land.
According to the letter, the investor proposed to government to identify land anywhere to redevelop the prison at their cost. Museveni said the luxurious five-star hotel will have a state-of-the-art conference centre.
“I support this idea,” Museveni said.
He therefore directed Otafiire to kickstart negotiations with the Tian Tang to execute the plan.
Background
In 2009, the New Vision newspaper reported that Chinese and Malaysian investors were interested in the land.
“The prison authority is preparing a proposal to the cabinet, which seeks to allow an investor to shift the prison and takeover the 460 acres of land,” reported journalist Fortunate Ahimbisibwe, New Vision.
Prisons boss Commissioner General Johnson Byabashaija said in an interview with the New Vision that the proposal to relocate Luzira was proposed by the prison authority to reduce on overcrowding within the prison.
“Luzira is located in a prime area. We have no problem with relocating the prison to give way for investment, as long as we get a modern facility with more space,” he said.
“The proposal came from us not the government. We are feeling the constraints of having overcrowded prison. That’s why we are initiating the move to relocate,” CG Byabashaija told the New Vision in 2009.
Otafiire letter to AG Kiwanuka
In a different letter dated February 22, 2024 signed by minister Otafiire to State Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, he called AG Kiryowa and Administrator General to a consultative meeting on March 6, 2024 to discuss on the same.
Minister Otafiire revealed that the prisons authority has since identified a 3.2 square mile land in Buikwe district where it will purchase one square mile for the relocation.
He however added that the said land still has legal impasse because the family did not apply for letters of administration since their father, Antonio Lutwama Kabogoza who owned the land died in 1982.
He called the Attorney General and Administrator General to a meeting to review the position of the family in the selling deal as well as their offices objection on actualizing the presidential directive.
