The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has posted satisfactory performance in budget absorption and non-tax revenue for the year ended December 2025, a new report by Parliament’s accountability committee has found, even as it flags governance weaknesses that need urgent fixing.
The report of the Public Accounts Committee – Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on the Auditor General’s report on UHRC financial statements for the audit year ended 31st December 2025 was laid before Parliament on July 14th, 2026 and tabled on Thursday.
The Committee, which held four interfaces with UHRC leadership and reviewed submissions from the Commission and its former Accounting Officer, concludes that whereas the Commission demonstrated satisfactory budget absorption, significant gaps remain in procurement, contract and asset management, strategic plan implementation, case management and institutional governance.
On revenue performance, the Auditor General established that during FY 2024/25, Parliament appropriated a total of UGX 30.926Bn for UHRC, with the Commission showing good absorption – a signal that public funds were put to use as intended.
On strategic plan delivery, the Committee notes that some community meetings (Barazas) were not conducted due to underfunding. The Accounting Officer explained that unimplemented activities have now been rolled over to the National Development Plan IV, and that UHRC is engaging the Ministry of Finance to increase funding for operational costs and core activities.
To close staffing gaps that have affected productivity, the Commission has requested clearance to recruit and fill critical vacancies for FY 2026/2027. These include Secretary to the Commission, Director Finance and Administration, Director Monitoring and Inspections, Human Rights Officers, and Assistant Administrators.
The report also highlights UHRC’s internal digital reforms through the Human Rights Integrated Information System (HURIS), its internal database for receiving and managing complaints, which the Auditor General says is now in use to track human rights violations across regions.
In what the Committee terms as good news for stability, UHRC Commissioners and the Chairperson have heeded COSASE advice to reconcile after months of internal divisions.
At the start of the interface, the Committee observed that governance was sharply divided along allegations of abuse of office and financial mismanagement, with one Commissioner, Rtd. Col. Steven Basaliza, telling MPs the COSASE hearing gave him a rare opportunity after several months to even meet the Chairperson, Mariam Wangadya.
The Commissioners have now informed the Committee that reconciliation efforts have commenced, with an agreeable mediator being sought.
On accountability, the Committee commended Commissioner Crispin Kaheru for returning a UHRC generator that had been at his home, a development confirmed by the Accounting Officer. The Chairperson has also confirmed possession of a UHRC generator and expressed openness to returning it, challenging the Accounting Officer to retrieve it.
COSASE now recommends that the Accounting Officer recover the generator, ensure all assets including donations are properly registered, tracked and technically assessed, and that officers be held personally liable for any damage from unauthorized custody.
The Committee further recommends amending the UHRC Act Cap 26 to provide for stakeholder participation in the budget process, fast-tracking recruitment, undertaking regular inspections of all places of detention, and prioritizing roll-over of unimplemented community Barazas to ensure service delivery.
“UHRC should promptly implement the recommendations, strengthen governance and internal controls, and prioritize the effective and timely delivery of its core mandate,” the report reads.
