Both Byabashaija and Mwanje appeared before the committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga today for vetting. But sources from the closed-door meeting rejected their appointment on grounds that the two, have already clocked 60, the mandatory retirement age of Public servants.
The Parliament Appointments Committee has rejected the re-appointment of Dr Johnson Byabashaija as the Commissioner-General of the Uganda Prisons Service on the basis of old age. The same committee also rejected the appointment of James Mwanje, as his deputy, on the same grounds.
Both Byabashaija and Mwanje appeared before the committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga today for vetting. But sources from the closed-door meeting rejected their appointment on grounds that the two, have already clocked 60, the mandatory retirement age of Public servants.
Before he could be entertained by the vetting committee, sources privy to the proceedings indicated that the legislators were debating whether to interface with the officials or just dismiss them. Moments later, Byabasaija, clad in a navy blue suit and white necktie, was later ushered into the vetting room by parliament staff. However, he came out hardly after ten minutes.
In an interview thereafter, the officer who has served as Commissioner General for 15 years said that age could not stop his service. He said that although he is aged 62, the law does not apply to him in the circumstances because he is serving on a contract basis of three years. Byabasaija had retired from Public Service in 2005.
Article 217 of the Constitutions that operationalizes the Prisons Act, 2006 is silent about the age of requirement.
Olive Nakatudde
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