Stakeholders in Kigezi Sub-region have called for stronger accountability, inclusive public services and better protection for citizens who report concerns, warning that declining public trust in justice institutions could undermine access to justice and citizen participation.
The call was made during a one-day stakeholders’ dialogue bringing together civil society actors, community representatives, including women, youth and persons with disabilities, and state actors from across the Kigezi Sub-region.
The engagement, held at White Horse Inn Hotel in Kabale Municipality, was organised by Citizens Council in Africa, CICOA, in partnership with the Local Sustainable Communities Organisation, LOSCO.
The meeting focused on accountability, referral pathways and the protection of citizens and human rights defenders who raise community concerns.
Andrew Mafundo, a Team Leader at CICOA, said the discussions showed that communities and human rights defenders understand their responsibilities, but limited collaboration with duty bearers continues to affect the follow-up and resolution of cases.
Mafundo called for closer cooperation between duty bearers, including law enforcement agencies and government officials, and human rights defenders to strengthen accountability and ensure complaints are effectively handled.
He also called for continuous training of human rights defenders and greater clarity about their roles in protecting and promoting human rights.
Mafundo identified poor follow-up, inadequate documentation and fear of reporting cases among the major challenges facing human rights defenders.
He said some community members fear holding duty bearers accountable because they are uncertain about their safety after reporting concerns, partly due to past experiences.
Mafundo said the engagement brought together human rights defenders, police, government agencies and officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission to strengthen working relationships and clarify where and how cases should be referred.
He urged human rights defenders to properly document cases, identify the appropriate institutions and consistently follow up on complaints.
Mafundo also cautioned defenders against relying on unverified information circulating on social media when reporting alleged human rights violations.
He said information should be verified before it is shared, warning that inaccurate reports can infringe on other people’s rights and expose those spreading the information to accountability.
Mafundo said the engagement had helped rebuild the confidence of human rights defenders to speak out and engage duty bearers responsibly.
He said fear of speaking out remains a challenge, but added that such engagements are important in challenging the perception that citizens cannot question or hold government officials accountable.
Mafundo reminded participants that citizens are empowered by the Constitution and international human rights instruments to demand accountability from leaders, saying public officials hold their offices in trust for the people.
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Meanwhile, the Kigezi Region Officer in Charge of Legal and Human Rights, ASP Arnold Ndagije, urged citizens to confidently approach police to seek guidance, report cases and lodge complaints.
Ndagije said the police is a public institution accountable to the people and that police stations should be accessible to everyone regardless of the time of day.
He urged citizens not to be intimidated by the police uniform, saying negative perceptions about the force continue to discourage some people from seeking assistance.
Ndagije said police derives its mandate from the Constitution and must account to the public for its actions.
He encouraged citizens and civil society organisations to report concerns involving police, including cases where suspects may have overstayed in custody, saying early intervention could prevent disputes from escalating into court battles and civil suits against government.
Ndagije also urged citizens who fail to receive assistance at the District Police Commander’s level to escalate their complaints to the Regional Police Commander or other senior officers.
He cautioned political leaders against exceeding their constitutional and legal powers when directing security agencies, saying political influence should not override the law.
Ndagije cited a court case involving an RDC in Mukono who allegedly directed police to intervene in a land dispute, saying the affected party sued both the police officers and the RDC after the officials were found to have acted beyond their legal powers.
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Joan Orishaba, the Secretary of Kabale District Union for Persons with Disabilities, NUDIPU, called for trained sign language interpreters in police stations and other public institutions to improve access to services for people with hearing impairments.
Orishaba said the absence of interpreters creates communication barriers that can prevent deaf people from reporting cases, seeking assistance and participating in public affairs.
She challenged police and other government institutions to ensure they have personnel capable of communicating with people with hearing impairments, describing the lack of sign language interpretation as a human rights concern.
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Caroline Gumoshabe, the head of the Uganda Human Rights Commission office for the Kabale region, urged the public to make use of existing human rights and justice institutions instead of being discouraged by misinformation about the cost of accessing services.
Gumoshabe said some people avoid seeking assistance because of rumours that they must pay money before receiving services.
She also called for stronger partnerships between government institutions and disability organisations to ensure that deaf people can access justice.
Gumoshabe recalled an experience about 20 years ago while working as a volunteer at a police station in Mbarara, where she encountered a deaf person who needed to report a case.
She said she sought assistance from the Uganda National Association of the Deaf, UNAD, secured a sign language interpreter and eventually registered the case, which proceeded to court.
Gumoshabe said similar partnerships could be used today, including in remote areas, to ensure that people with disabilities are not denied justice because of communication barriers.
She also encouraged citizens who fail to receive assistance at one level of an institution to follow established complaint-handling procedures and escalate their concerns.
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The Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, SP Nelson Tumushime, acknowledged challenges in case follow-up and providing feedback to complainants, pledging to strengthen accountability within the force.
Tumushime said police would develop mechanisms to improve accountability, strengthen supervision and address staffing gaps at sub-county police stations.
He said restoring public confidence in police is critical because the force remains the first point of contact for many people seeking justice.
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Amos Tugumisirize, the Executive Director of KADOLAH, raised concern over declining public trust in Uganda’s justice system.
Tugumisirize said some citizens believe they cannot obtain justice unless they have money or connections to influential people.
He said such perceptions undermine citizens’ constitutional right to participate in government affairs and discourage them from seeking assistance from duty bearers.
Tugumisirize cited Article 38 of the Constitution, which provides for citizens’ participation in the affairs of government, saying institutions must do more to restore public confidence.
He also raised concern over weak referral pathways, saying some cases referred to relevant institutions fail to reach their intended destinations.
However, Tugumisirize commended police in Rubanda District for what he described as positive interventions in some cases, including referring victims for legal aid and court assistance.
He further called for stronger protection of citizens and human rights defenders who report wrongdoing, warning that intimidation and fear of retaliation could silence communities and weaken accountability.
Tugumisirize said restoring public confidence in justice institutions requires duty bearers to uphold the Constitution, strengthen referral systems and ensure that citizens receive equal treatment regardless of their financial status or social connections.
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