Shifra Lukwago, the former Kampala Woman MP aspirant and opposition politician under the Democratic Party (DP) has quit active politics.
Lukwago said: “Following my appointment by President Yoweri Museveni as Commissioner to Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), I am declaring my position as secretary for Women affairs Kampala district under the DP vacant,”
Asked which political party she subscribes to, Lukwago said, ‘Since I was appointed to serve as commissioner at the UHRC I’m not supposed to belong to any political party, I’m now an independent person supposed to serve Ugandans,’ Lukwago explained.
Established under the 1995 Constitution, the UHRC is a government body mandated to monitor and advance human rights in the country.
“I thank president Yoweri Museveni for eyeing me among the many people because of my reputation in fighting for human rights, It was not easy to appoint me since I belong to the opposition parties, but president Yoweri Museveni, being the appointment authority, has observed professional ethics which I have exhibited in my professional as a lawyer, fighting for people’s rights,” Lukwago said.
Lukwago made the revelation after appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament chaired by deputy speaker Anita Among, in the conference hall of Parliament yesterday.
On the role of Uganda Human Rights Commission, Lukwago said: “as a commissioner, we are supposed to investigate, at its own initiative or on a complaint made by any person or group of persons against the violation of any human right also to visit jails, prisons, and places of detention or related facilities with a view of assessing and inspecting conditions of the inmates and make recommendations. And these are government agencies, therefore aim non-partisan.
Several positions of commissioners have for many years been vacant. The position of UHRC Chairperson fell vacant after the death of Meddie Kaggwa who was the head of the commission by then who died in 2019.
The positions of two other Commissioners fell vacant after one resigned to join Parliament in 2016 and another’s term of office expired in 2018
President Museveni last week appointed Lukwago, and former Ethics and Integrity Minister, Fr. Simon Lokodo as commissioner for the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
Lokodo was in June dropped as a minister and the latest appointment is a sigh of relief to him.
President Museveni also appointed Fauzat Mariam Wangadya as the Chairperson of (UHRC), Wangadya who has been serving as Deputy Inspector General of Government will now take over from Commissioner Dr. Katebalirwe Amooti Wa Irumba who has been the acting chairperson since November 2019..
The president also appointed former coordinator for Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU), Crispin Kaheru, and Jackie Atuheire (Former Woman MP Sheema District ) as commissioners to UHRC.
Wangadya said: “As the chairman, I will ensure that the commission investigates all the human rights abuses, and ensure that they get redressed. I also appeal to Ugandans to be law-abiding citizens. I appeal to Parliament to appropriate funds to government for compensation of the human rights victims timely,”
Kaheru said as commissioners, they must sensitize the public on human rights, law enforcement, and security agencies as a means of empowering them to respect human rights and freedoms in the performance of their functions, this has been missing link.
Lokodo said he hopes to be challenged by what Ugandans think are human rights, under the guise of breaking the laws. However, we shall work together to ensure, observance of Human rights,”
