President Museveni Reacts To Closure Of UN Human Rights Offices In Uganda

President Yoweri Museveni has explained the need to release operations for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Uganda.

In February 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote  a letter to the OCHCR head office explaining that the government will not renew their mandate to operate in Uganda once the contract expires in March. The Ministry made it clear that Uganda has the ability to monitor, promote, and protect human rights without external support.

Responding to the media during the Uganda-South Africa investment forum in Pretoria, President Museveni stated that the OHCHR offices are unnecessary in Uganda because the country already has another institution running on the same basis.

He explained that the public is often confused on where to report any acts of human rights violations because they are dealing with a foreign entity and native one( Uganda Human Rights Commission-UHRC).

The President also stated that Uganda is not in an appalling state hence the need for the offices.

“There is what we call superfluous, something that is not needed because there is something else. We have already got the UHRC it is in the constitution, now having this freelance even confuses our people. There is only one human rights office in Uganda. There is no need for all those groups in other parts of the world, they can go to Iraq or Afghanistan where there are problems. Uganda is not one of them.’ Museveni said

However, Grace Pelly, the OCHCR deputy resident representative in Uganda says there are ongoing discussions between the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the government to persuade Uganda to revoke its decision to close its activities in Uganda., as noted by.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the full enjoyment of all human rights established in the Charter of the United Nations and international human rights laws and treaties.

This includes preventing human rights violations, promoting respect for all human rights, and promoting international cooperation to protect human rights while streamlining the United Nations system in this regard.

The office was established in Kampala in 2006, initially to focus on the human rights situation in conflict-affected areas in Northern and North-Eastern Uganda, but was later expanded in 2009 to cover the entire country and all human rights issues.