The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has demanded for the appointment of a substantial chairperson of the commission for the smooth running of it's activities.
This is an office that has been vacant for a year after the death of the chairperson, Med Kaggwa last year.
The remarks were made during a discussion where human rights defenders across the country met in Kampala to discuss a number of issues including the narrowing civic space among others.
The commission told the media that it has not been able to handle a single tribunal case despite the backlog, which has affected the dispensing of justice.
The acting chairperson to the Commission Katebalirwe Amooti Wa Irumba said that he lacks administrative powers to make key decisions which has greatly affected their work.
"Complaints keep on coming but we can't push them further.We have also not been able to submit the annual report to parliament because we don't have the substantive chairperson,"he said.
He also cautioned politicians against violating Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission.
He noted that the clashes between candidates and security personnel are as a result of the failure by the politicians to respect the set guidelines.
Katebalirwe urged all the candidates to respect the guidelines to avoid getting into confrontations with security personnel.
Rights defenders also asked Parliament to fast track the human rights defenders Protection Bill, 2020 to protect their fundamental rights and freedoms from being violated by the authority.
Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Pheona Wall Nabasa said human rights defenders are facing several challenges such as arbitrary arrests and intimidation, among others.
"We have seen the NGOs sector being under threat of de-registration and a lot of other threats.We have seen offices being broken into and the prosecution of these cases are not coming to light,"she Said
She further expressed disappointment towards people who look at human rights defenders as mere noisemakers in society.
"Each of us should be a human rights defender because we need solidarity to protect human rights. Human rights defenders are not noisemakers but have regard to fundamental rights," Nabasa said.