The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), established to safeguard human rights after the country’s turbulent past, is grappling with a massive backlog of cases that threatens to undermine its ability to deliver justice.
The 2024 Auditor General’s report exposes severe delays in both investigations and tribunal proceedings, with some cases languishing for over a decade.
Mandated under Article 52(1) of the Constitution to investigate human rights violations, UHRC has been overwhelmed by the volume of complaints.
In the 2023/2024 financial year, the Commission investigated 531 out of 917 complaints—roughly 60%.
However, deeper scrutiny reveals chronic delays, with some investigations stretching as long as ten years.
A review of 100 case files found that 90 out of 681 cases (13.2%) had remained untouched for over five years, signaling a critical backlog that threatens public confidence in the Commission’s effectiveness.
The situation at the UHRC tribunal is equally dire. Of the 1,325 cases brought forward in the 2023/2024 financial year, only 171—just 13%—were concluded.
Cases spend an average of four years between the first hearing and the final decision, while a staggering 97% of pending cases are at least six years old.
These delays risk entrenching a culture of impunity and denying victims the justice they seek.
The report highlights systemic inefficiencies, including staffing shortages, inadequate funding, and cumbersome procedures, as key contributors to the backlog.
Without urgent reforms to streamline case management, enhance institutional capacity, and secure greater financial resources, the UHRC risks further eroding public trust and failing its mandate.
Addressing these issues is critical to ensuring that victims of human rights violations receive timely redress and that the Commission remains a credible institution in Uganda’s justice system.
