Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Opposition condemns Uganda’s clampdown on UN rights office

• February 13, 2023
UGANDAN OPPOSITION FIGURE
UGANDAN OPPOSITION FIGURES, BOBI WINE

Uganda’s move to close the UN local human rights office has drawn strong criticism from opposition leaders and activists, who argued it highlights the country’s worsening record on civil liberties.

The government told the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that it would not renew the mandate of its office in the east African country, effectively expelling the rights monitors.

The office was set up in 2006 and has highlighted widespread rights violations, including torture, illegal detentions and failure by the state to prosecute offenders.

The government said in a letter to OHCHR the UN presence was no longer necessary because of the progress it made in developing the domestic capacity to monitor human rights compliance, including the emergence of a strong civil society.

However, President Yoweri Museveni’s critics begged to differ.

“The regime in Uganda should be isolated by all democracy-seeking people,” Bobi Wine, a pop star-turned-politician who heads the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), said in response to a question about the government’s decision.

During the last presidential election in January 2021, he finished runner-up to Mr Museveni, gun-toting security officers tear-gassed and baton-whipped people protesting against brutality by security forces.

The pop star, who alleged the final result was massively rigged, was arrested several times during the campaign.

Okello Oryem, state minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters the UN rights office had come to Uganda to monitor rights violations during the war in the country’s north, which ended nearly two decades ago.

“Now that the war is finished, there’s no more relevance of that office,” he said.

OHCHR had declined to comment on the government’s decision.

Livingstone Sewanyana, who heads the Uganda Human Rights Foundation, rejected the government’s justification for closing the office.

“For the last couple of years, the civic space has been shrinking,” he said.

(Reuters/NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Ogun State Water Corporation's logo

States

Ogun water corporation cuts supply to three communities over illegal connections 

The corporation urged residents to visit the water corporation as soon as possible to process their registration and reconnection.

University of Abuja

Abuja

NGO, UNIABUJA unveil organic waste facility to curb methane emissions

Mr Ahmed said the initiative had equipped waste workers with more sustainable methods of handling waste.

LEGISLATIVE GAVEL

States

Woman sues daughters-in-law over late son’s inheritance

‎The judge, Yakubu Abdullahi, advised them to invite a cleric they respect to intervene and preach to them during the settlement.

Kaduna women

States

CCSI-FCC project promotes child spacing among rural Kaduna women

Ms Ahmed-Maqari said child spacing would improve the health of mothers and children.

Kaduna women

States

CCSI-FCC project promotes child spacing among rural Kaduna women

Ms Ahmed-Maqari said child spacing would improve the health of mothers and children.

Police

States

30 suspects arrested in Delta criminal hideouts, brothels’ raid

Mr Edafe said the offences committed by the suspects are punishable under Sections 223 and 224 of the Criminal Code Law of Delta State.