KAMPALA, Uganda — July 10, 2026 — The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Fauzati Mariam Wangadya, has resigned from her position, less than two weeks after publicly criticising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni over appointments to the constitutional body.
In a brief resignation letter addressed to President Museveni, Wangadya did not provide reasons for her decision to leave office.
“I hereby tender my resignation as Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission. I thank you for the opportunity to serve Uganda over the years in the promotion and protection of human rights,” Wangadya wrote.
Her resignation brings to an end her tenure as head of the national human rights institution, a position she had held since 2021 after returning to the Commission where she had previously served as a commissioner.
The resignation comes shortly after Wangadya sparked public debate following remarks in which she questioned the quality of some appointments made to the Commission.
She accused President Museveni of appointing individuals she described as unsuitable for a body tasked with protecting human rights, arguing that some appointments had weakened the institution’s credibility.
Her comments triggered discussions about the independence, composition and effectiveness of the UHRC, which is established under Article 51 of the Constitution as Uganda’s national human rights institution.
The resignation also follows reported internal disagreements within the Commission, with some commissioners previously raising allegations concerning governance and administration issues at the institution.
Wangadya, a lawyer and former Deputy Inspector General of Government (Deputy IGG), first joined the UHRC at its establishment in 1996 and served for 17 years before moving to the Inspectorate of Government. She was appointed Chairperson in 2021 following the death of former chairperson Med S.K. Kaggwa.
During her time at the Commission, Wangadya oversaw the institution’s work on human rights monitoring, investigations, complaints handling and public awareness programmes.
President Museveni is now expected to begin the process of appointing a new Chairperson to lead the Commission. The UHRC plays a key constitutional role in monitoring human rights compliance, investigating violations and advising government on human rights matters.
The circumstances surrounding Wangadya’s resignation are likely to attract further public attention given her recent criticism of the appointment process and ongoing debates about the independence and performance of Uganda’s human rights watchdog.
