Minister Lugoloobi appalled by despicable conditions in Luzira after a few days in jail, says government needs to do something

The Minister of State for Planning, Ntenjeru County MP Amos Lugoolobi has bemoaned the pathetic conditions in both Uganda’s detention cells and the maximum prison in Luzira.

Lugoloobi made the statements during a thanksgiving ceremony at his home in Namulanda, Kayunga District to celebrate his return from Luzira prison.

The minister in charge of planning for this country said that his three days in jail were hell and could not come to terms with the conditions he found prisoners living in.

“I think my arrest was God’s way of showing me something that I had never put attention to as the Minister of Planning. I was able to witness the terrible conditions in jail and it is high time we work towards improving the welfare of the prisoners,” Lugoloobi said.

“I am now so much aware of the terrible conditions in both police cells and the prison and in my line of duty as the Planning Minister, it is high time to champion the cause to improve those conditions,” he added.

Lugoloobi is among the ministers accused of sharing iron sheets meant for Karamoja relief.

On his part, he received 300 iron sheets which he used to roof a goat shade at his farm in Ntenjeru before plucking them off due to public pressure and returning them to the government.

He was consequently arrested and remanded to Luzira for three days but later released on bail.

In 2018, Prisoners in a petition to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga decried the poor prison conditions

The inmates complained about poor feeding, health facilities, congestion, denial of the right to vote, delayed appeals in court and an unfair criminal justice system.

The Speaker noted the complaints raised and promised to come up with solutions to them.

Kadaga also promised to ask the House Committee on Human Rights to examine issues that affect prisoners in Uganda. During that time, Lugoloobi was also a Member of Parliament.