President Yoweri Museveni has pardoned 833 prisoners all over the country to decongest prisons as a measure against the spread of novel coronavirus.
The president has powers under article 121(1)(a) of the Constitution to pardon prisoners on the advice of the advisory committee on the Prerogative of Mercy. Museveni has pardoned both nationals and non-nationals on “humanitarian and public health grounds.”
In early April, the Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons Johnson Byabashaija unveiled plans to decongest prisons by releasing about 2000 inmates who are on light sentences and those who are the third quarter of their sentences. Among those who have been considered for pardon include; breast feeding mothers, the aged above list submitted the list to the Attorney General for consideration as getting a green light from the president.
Indeed, on April 28, 2020, the Solicitor General wrote to Byabashaija to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control with regard to compliance with the condition that has been attached to the pardoning of the convicts.
