The Budget Committee session took an unexpected turn today as Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda delivered a scathing critique of government spending practices, zeroing in on what he described as “wasteful and unjustifiable reallocations” to both the Ministry of Lands and the Uganda Prisons Service.
Ssemujju did not mince words as he pointed to recent budget amendments that funneled additional funds to the Prisons offices, questioning the rationale behind the move at a time when many sectors are struggling to stay afloat.
But it was his remarks about the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, that sparked murmurs across the committee room. In a fiery address, Ssemujju blamed the long-serving prisons chief for exacerbating Kampala’s notorious traffic jams, accusing him of routinely traversing the city with an excessive convoy of escort vehicles.
“Why must the Commissioner General of Prisons live in the heart of Kampala, contributing to our daily congestion with sirens and outriders?” Ssemujju asked pointedly. “He heads a department with several secure facilities—Kigo, Kitalya, Luzira. Let him stay there and relieve us of the chaos.”
The comments have reignited debate over the government’s use of public funds and the perks afforded to top officials. Critics argue that Uganda’s budget is increasingly skewed in favor of non-essential administrative comforts, while the country grapples with underfunded health and education sectors.
While Dr Byabashaija has not publicly responded to the remarks, government insiders suggest the Budget Committee may now face growing pressure to scrutinize allocations more aggressively—and to question not just the numbers, but the lifestyles they sustain.
