Wangadya Loses Cool! UHRC Boss Tears Into Kabaka’s BBS Over Bad Press: You Only Remember My Name When Smearing Me

By Aggrey Baba

Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) chairperson Mariam Wangadya took a swipe at journalists and some media houses, particularly NBS and BBS TVs on Wednesday, accusing them of repeatedly portraying her negatively while ignoring her work in defence of human rights.

Wangadya’s frustration boiled over when journalists interviewing her shortly after the seventh annual Conference on Business and Human Rights at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, asked her to state her name, prompting her to question why journalists who readily identify her when reporting negative stories suddenly appear not to know who she is when there is something positive to report.

“So you always know my name when you want to write or speak bad things about me, but when it comes to good things, you forget my name?” Wangadya asked, in an apparent rebuke to journalists she accused of unfairly treating her.

The visibly irritated Wangadya went on to plead with journalists and media houses to stop what she described as persistent attacks on her reputation and give fair attention to her work.

“You always report about me when something bad happens, but when it comes to the good things, you pretend not to know me. NBS and BBS, you are the ones who have spoken badly about me the most, yet you are now here pretending not to know me. Please, for once, talk about the good things too,” Wangadya said.

Her outburst exposed the growing frustration of the human rights chief with sections of the media, whom she appeared to accuse of giving prominence to negative coverage of her while overlooking her work and the commission’s activities.

The exchange occurred during an interview moment after the event, in which Wangadya was discussing the protection of workers’ rights, the responsibilities of employers and the challenges faced by communities affected by development projects.

She used the opportunity to highlight the UHRC’s work in handling complaints involving labour exploitation, arbitrary dismissal, sexual harassment, land evictions and environmental degradation.

Wangadya said UHRC routinely receives complaints from workers who are employed without formal contracts, underpaid or fired without proper justification.

She also cited complaints from communities living near major projects, including those in the Albertine region and parts of Bunyoro, where people who were displaced to allow the oil project progress, have raised concerns about land acquisition, compensation and environmental pollution.

The UHRC chairperson acknowledged that development sometimes comes with disruptions but insisted that the government and investors must minimize the harm caused to affected communities and ensure that compensation is handled promptly.

“Whenever there is development, there is always some inconvenience. But we want to minimize the impact and ensure that those affected are compensated in time,” she said.

Wangadya also renewed calls for Uganda to establish a minimum wage, arguing that a nationally applicable wage floor would help protect workers against exploitation.

She said the commission had repeatedly raised the matter in its annual reports and called on the government to address the issue comprehensively.

The seventh annual Conference on Business and Human Rights brought together government institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to discuss the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights.

The conference was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Enabel, the European Union, the Equal Opportunities Commission and other stakeholders.

Wangadya said the commission remained committed to protecting the rights of both employers and employees while continuing public education on human rights.

Her appeal to journalists, however, added a personal dimension to the engagement, with the UHRC chief openly challenging sections of the media to recognize her work instead of, in her view, concentrating on negative coverage. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).