Paul Piramoe, the Regional Human Rights Officer in Moroto, noted that while the commission has the will and capacity to handle complaints, they are constrained by operational challenges.
A tribunal led by UHRC chairperson Mariam Fauzat Wangadya convened at the commission’s Moroto regional office to hear and dispose of delayed complaints, particularly those lacking sufficient evidence.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) regional office in Moroto has raised alarm over inadequate resources, which it says are crippling efforts to manage and investigate human rights violation cases across the Karamoja sub-region.
The office has so far registered 445 complaints, with 166 under active investigation and 279 currently under legal review. However, officials say progress has been hampered by lack of financial support and logistical capacity.
Paul Piramoe, the Regional Human Rights Officer in Moroto, noted that while the commission has the will and capacity to handle complaints, they are constrained by operational challenges. “As a regional office, we are dealing with mobile pastoralist communities, yet we lack funds and transport to reach them,” Piramoe said. “Some cases are registered in Kotido, but by the time we return, the complainants have moved to other areas.”
Piramoe added that the vastness of the region and having only one shared vehicle for multiple departments severely limits their ability to conduct fieldwork, including inspections of detention facilities in police stations, prisons, and military barracks.
He further explained that insecurity in some areas has also restricted movement, making it difficult to follow up on cases. As a result, many complaints gathered during community barazas are later dropped due to lack of follow-up and complainants losing interest.
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In the 2023/2024 financial year, the Moroto office did not conduct any field activities due to lack of operational funds. Mariam Fauzat Wangadya, Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, acknowledged the financial constraints as a major reason behind the growing case backlog across the country.
“We need money to fund translation of proceedings during hearings, and to transport commissioners to regional venues,” Wangadya explained. “Where money is not available, sessions delay.”
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Wangadya urged the government to prioritize full funding for the commission, warning that continued underfunding undermines the commission’s ability to carry out its constitutional mandate.
She, however, noted that the commission had recently secured limited funding that allowed them to resume some follow-ups on previously registered complaints.
Last week, the commission convened a tribunal at the UHRC Moroto regional office to hear and dispose of delayed cases, especially those lacking sufficient evidence. Many of the cases involve alleged violations of the right to life, freedom from torture, and personal liberty.
