Activists speak out on Govt move to end UN Rights Office mandate

The office has been in talks with Government about modalities of a continued presence in the country but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that given the strong Government commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, the prevailing peace throughout the country, it can no longer renew the mandate beyond the current term.

While speaking to this reporter on phone, Bireete said amid current reports of missing persons from some opposition political parties like the National Unity Platform Party (NUP) and illegal detentions, it is absurd that the UN Human Rights office mandate in Uganda will have to end.

“Most of the Ugandans who were abducted by drones have been charged in the military Court Martial. You have torture, increasing detention without trial, you have closure of Civil Society Organisations, it’s really mockery, its laughable,” Bireete said.

A letter dated February 3 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that the Government of Uganda will not continue its cooperation with the OHCHR Headquarters either directly or through its Permanent Mission in Geneva.

The Office was established in Kampala in 2006, with the initial mandate focused on the human rights situation in the conflict-affected areas of Northern and North-Eastern Uganda. However, it was renewed in 2009 and expanded to cover the entire country and all human rights issues.