By Aggrey Baba
Human Rights Commission boss Mariam Wangadya has once again spoken out against the continued acts of torture in Uganda and silence surrounding them, warning that unless decisive action is taken, the country risks normalising impunity, especially as the 2026 elections nears.
Speaking during a recent joint press briefing organised by the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV), the Coalition Against Torture, and other rights organisations in Kampala, Wangadya said the country cannot afford to look away anymore, especially when survivors continue to suffer in silence, and perpetrators enjoy state protection.
She noted that despite having a strong legal framework, including Article 44 of the Constitution, which declares freedom from torture as absolute, and the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, 2012, enforcement remains weak, and victims rarely see justice.
Many survivors continue to bear long-term trauma, with limited access to medical or psychological care, while their abusers are never held accountable.
According to her, acts of torture often intensify during politically charged seasons such as elections, largely driven by state security operatives under the pretext of maintaining order.
Wangadya said there are growing concerns that the 2026 electoral cycle may not be any different unless clear preventive steps are taken.
She said many victims are dismissed as criminals or troublemakers, and their cases are rarely investigated thoroughly. In several cases, efforts to follow up are blocked by court injunctions or lack of cooperation from security agencies, acts which, according to Wagadya have created an environment where the law appears to protect the torturer more than the tortured.
Wangadya stressed that some victims never recover, and their families live in fear and economic hardship, with no compensation or rehabilitation offered. The silence around these cases, she said, continues to embolden perpetrators and weakens public trust in government institutions.
While civil society organisations (CSOs) continue to document and report cases of torture, UHRC says the gap between reporting and actual accountability remains wide, expressing concern that victims are often retraumatised by a system that ignores their pain or dismisses their complaints.
She called on all law enforcement agencies to remember their constitutional obligations and treat every citizen with dignity, also urging political leaders to speak out and act decisively, warning that token condemnations and public relations gestures cannot heal the wounds caused by state-sanctioned violence.
“There are people walking free today with blood on their hands because the system let them go,” she said, noting that healing cannot begin unless justice is taken seriously.
In the lead-up to June 26 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Commission announced a nationwide campaign to raise awareness, engage communities, and demand justice for survivors. Civil society actors also pledged to closely monitor the political season and document any violations as they arise.
The Commission warned that Uganda can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of previous elections, where violence, arbitrary detentions, and torture left deep scars on the natio’s conscience, sending a message that torture is not just a crime, but a betrayal of the values Uganda claims to uphold. And unless silence is broken, impunity will continue to thrive.
