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Human rights chiefs sworn in
Wednesday, 13th May, 2009 E-mail article Print article
Makubuya, Odoki and Kaggwa at the swearing-in ceremony at the High Court yesterday
Josephine Maseruka and Hillary Nsambu
THE new office bearers for the Uganda Human Rights Commission were yesterday sworn in with the former presidency minister, Meddie Kaggwa, taking oath as the chairman.
The six-member team was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki.
Mariam Wangadya, an advocate and Constantine Karusoke were retained as commissioners.
Others were Prof. Amooti Katebalirwe wa Irumba, a philosopher in political economy and literary communication, Joseph Etima the former prisons commissioner general and Agaba Magulu, an advocate.
Kaggwa, a former East African Legislative Assembly member, a Constituent Assembly delegate and a longtime legislator, takes over from Margaret Sekaggya, who pioneered the commission.
Sekaggya’s term of office ended three months ago.
Kaggwa said he was a man of integrity and that being an NRM cadre will not compromise him.
Odoki called for team-work and reminded the commissioners that the oath they took was similar to that of judicial officers, which calls for impartiality.
Odoki said the outgoing team had done a commendable job.
Odoki urged the new commissioners to consider the rampant cases of child sacrifice, human trafficking, torture of civilians by security officers and mob justice as priorities in their work plan.
He said there was need to sensitise the population about their responsibilities to ensure a culture of human rights.
“Training the public is very important because listening to complaints won’t help,” Odoki noted.
He appealed to the Government to include human rights in the school syllabus or in the patriotism clubs.
Odoki said he was disturbed by failure of the Attorney General to pay awards that the commission had given to complainants.
“That bothers me. The hands of the Attorney General are tied up and it hurts that people get justice which they don’t taste.”
He proposed that a special fund be created to compensate complainants.
The commission has, however, proposed that individuals who abuse the rights of others be liable for compensation.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Khiddhu Makubuya, assured the new team that the Government would not interfere with their work.
“Human rights protection is a government programme, which is not imposed by donors or the civil society. So we cannot gag the commissioners. If that was the case, the outgoing team would have highlighted it in the annual reports.”
“The Government has appointed you to do the job, so create maximum understanding amongst yourselves to deliver,” Makubuya stated.
In attendance was the commission secretary, Gordon Mwesigye and the Uganda Law Society President, Bruce Kyerere.
