COSASE Flags Delays in Human Rights Cases Despite Shs28.95 bn UHRC Funding

What the report says

Uganda’s parliamentary Public Accounts Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has raised concerns about slow handling of human rights work at the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), even after the commission received a larger government allocation. The issue was presented in Parliament during a plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Jacob Markson Oboth on Thursday, 15 October 2026, when committee chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi tabled findings from the Auditor General’s review of UHRC’s financial statements.

According to the committee, UHRC received Shs28.95 billion in revenue in the 2024/2025 financial year, up from Shs18.34 billion the year before. Most of the money came from the Consolidated Fund. However, the report said the funding increase did not fully translate into delivery of the commission’s mandate, citing delays in investigating complaints, inspecting detention facilities and completing tribunal work. It said the commission met 13 of 22 strategic plan targets fully, while nine were only partly achieved.

The report listed performance gaps including uninspected detention facilities, unresolved cases, and limited tribunal outcomes. It also pointed to weaknesses in procurement, asset management, strategic plan implementation and internal coordination. COSASE recommended tighter financial management, better prioritisation of mandate-related activities, and compliance with Treasury Instructions on staff compensation.

The committee also flagged concerns over a Shs70.4 million procurement matter linked to office partitioning and furniture, as well as vehicle records, land use and internal disputes within the commission. Debate on the report was deferred to a later sitting. In general, UHRC is Uganda’s national rights body, responsible for complaints handling, monitoring detention conditions and supporting access to justice.