KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Chairperson Justice Mariam Wangadya has publicly criticised the appointment of some commissioners to the constitutional body, saying the commission is facing serious internal challenges and accusing certain members of engaging in infighting instead of focusing on their mandate.
The remarks were made during a televised interview with BBS TV on July 3 and have since triggered sharp reactions from government officials, opposition figures and members of the public.
According to a clarification issued by the UHRC on its official X account, Wangadya was responding to allegations that some commissioners had been spreading falsehoods against her leadership. The commission said a widely circulated video clip had been selectively edited and did not fully capture the context of her comments.
“We have noticed a widely circulating video on social media which was selectively edited to create a distasteful framing of the issues our Chairperson was addressing,” the UHRC said.
The commission added that Wangadya had been explaining that some commissioners were allegedly being influenced by politicians she had previously exposed for soliciting bribes.
“The interview held yesterday with BBS TV was meant to clarify that the ‘corrupt MPs’ that the President H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni forgave recently, after our Chairperson recorded them soliciting for bribes, had turned around to fund a section of Members of the Commission to traverse falsehoods against her on a daily basis,” the statement said. (UHRC official clarification on X )
The controversy comes amid reports of a growing rift within the UHRC, with three commissioners reportedly accusing Wangadya of poor leadership and administrative misconduct. The internal dispute has raised concerns about the functioning of one of Uganda’s key constitutional oversight institutions.
Wangadya’s comments have also drawn criticism from government allies, who argue that public attacks on the appointing authority are inappropriate.
Presidential adviser Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi described the remarks as disrespectful.
“Very disrespectful, Madam Justice, to the appointing authority. We have proper communication channels!” he wrote on X.
Former minister Capt. Mike Mukula also faulted Wangadya for raising her concerns publicly rather than through official government channels.
“The remarks attributed to the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission were uncalled for and far below the standard expected of such an office,” Mukula wrote, adding that concerns about appointments should be addressed through institutional procedures.
Opposition figures, however, have interpreted the dispute as evidence of deeper problems within the commission. David Lewis Rubongoya, Secretary General of the National Unity Platform, said the episode highlighted the importance of the rule of law and accountability within public institutions.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission is established under Article 51 of the Constitution and is mandated to investigate human rights violations, monitor government compliance with human rights standards and promote civic education.
The public dispute comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of Uganda’s human rights record, following recent criticism from religious leaders, civil society organisations and international bodies over alleged unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances and restrictions on civil liberties.
As of Sunday, neither State House nor the Ministry of Justice had issued an official response to Wangadya’s remarks, while the UHRC maintained that the circulating video did not accurately represent the full context of the interview.