Over 1,000 cases await new Human Rights Commission
Ms Mariam Wangadya interacts with Mr Simon Lokodo before the Parliament Appointments Committee vetted them on Wednesday. PHOTO/David Lubowa
What you need to know:
The commission has not been fully functional ever since the death of its chairperson Med Kaggwa in November 2019. He had never been replaced.
- The acting secretary to the Commission, Ms Margaret Ejang, said many of the complaints arose during the election period in January.
More than 1,000 human rights complaints await the new Uganda Human Rights Commission members, who were sworn-in at the High Court in Kampala yesterday.
The commission has not been fully functional ever since the death of its chairperson Med Kaggwa in November 2019. He had never been replaced.
The acting secretary to the Commission, Ms Margaret Ejang, said many of the complaints arose during the election period in January.
“These cases are various but mainly are of human rights violations by torture that arose pre and post presidential elections,” Ms Ejang said on the sidelines of the swearing-in.
Those sworn-in include Ms Mariam Wangadya as chairperson, Jacklet Atuhaire, Rev Fr Simon Lokodo, Shifra Lukwago, and Chrispin Kaheru.
Also sworn-in was Mr Jimmy Okello, a commissioner to serve on the Judicial Service Commission, representing the public.
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo advised the new commission members to speak out against human rights violations even when they are committed by those in power.
“The oath you took to do right to all manner of people without fear or favour; speaking without fear means that you speak up to the authority that is in the wrong,” Chief Justice said.
He added: “If there is an individual, who is feared by everybody, speak up, make a decision to bring that person to book.”
The swearing-in comes at the time when several human rights abuses are taking place including the brutal rearresting of two Opposition MPs, Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya, by military officers after being granted bail by court.
