2021 Polls: Human Rights Organizations Task Gov’t to Appoint UHRC Chairperson

Non-Governmental organizations under the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders
Uganda (NCHRDU) have asked the Government to consider providing more empowerment to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) through appointing a substantive Chairperson.

These contend that since the passing of the then chairperson Hajji Medi Kaggwa late last year, Government has taken long to replace him which has affected the commission in implementing its mandate of monitoring the human rights situation in the country.

Addressing the press at their offices in Ntinda, Robert Kilenga, the Executive Director of NCHRDU pointed out that that since the start of Presidential campaigns, there have been more cases of
indiscriminate violence to both presidential candidates and their supporters.

“As the campaigns gather momentum, we note a series of sustained rights abuses and violations that require immediate intervention of state bodies like the Human Rights commission.”

Kirenga added that currently, with the commission not fully constituted, the tribunal cannot sit to resolve people’s complaints on human rights violation.

“We ask Uganda Police to apply the 2019 Human rights policy in undertaking their work to avoid the excessive use of force, unnecessary brutality, arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention and attacks on journalists and other Human Rights Defenders who monitor and report on human rights issues,” he said.

Hajji Medi Mulumba Kaggwa, the chairperson of Human Rights Commission, on 20th November 2019 collapsed at Mulago hospital on his way to work.  Since then, his deputy Katebalirwe Amooti was appointed the Acting Chairperson for the commission, the position he still holds up
to date.

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