Prisons Boss Byabashaija: Christopher Okello Onyum Will Be Hanged within 72 Hours if Museveni Signs Death Warrant

On Thursday, April 30, 2026, Justice Alice Komuhangi Khauka of the High Court handed Christopher Okello Onyum a death sentence after convicting him of killing four children at a daycare centre in Ggaba in Kampala Capital City’s Makindye Division.

If Okello does not appeal his conviction and death sentence, the state will proceed with an execution. The death row convict and Luzira inmate has 14 days from the date of his death sentence to appeal.

Some have been wondering if Uganda has a hangman 27 years since the last execution of any civilian was carried out in 1999.

Byabashaija was asked, online, if the Uganda Prisons Service he heads still has a hangman, and what he has been paid for over the last 27 yearshave been he been doing for the past 27 years since the last execution in Uganda.

He was also asked if all prison officers are trained to hang during their training.

Byabashaija simply responded “No, not at all.”

Further asked if the Uganda Prisons Service will advertise the job of a hangman or if the Service has volunteers ready to do the ugly job if President Yoweri Museveni signs an execution order from court for the execution of Christopher Okello Onyum, Byabashaija suggested that nobody should lose sleep over who will execute Okello.

He also noted that the inmate would be executed within 72 hours after the president has signed the death or execution order.

“Once the warrant is out, the subject will be executed with in 72 hrs,” he noted.

“No worries.”

It should be remembered that Christopher Okello Onyum has 14 days within which to appeal against his death penalty or be the first civilian to be hanged since 1999, following a High Court judge’s ruling that he should die for killing four toddlers. (See Details Here and There).

Relatedly, you can see the list of 5,000 prisons officers promoted by Johnson Byabashaija Here.