Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting human rights, improving access to justice and strengthening security institutions across the country.
Yunus Kakande, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, said government had made progress in improving public access to justice through the establishment of police posts, recruitment of judicial officers and the use of digital technology in courts.
Speaking during the presentation of the Governance and Security Accountability Annual Report 2025, Kakande said the establishment of police posts across the country had helped improve the response to crime and enabled more Ugandans to access security services.
He said government considered access to justice and respect for human rights important parts of its responsibility to citizens.
Kakande also pointed to improvements in the Judiciary, saying an increase in the number of magistrates and judges, together with the introduction of online services, had helped address delays caused by court case backlogs.
“Yes, this is a milestone because Ugandans can now access justice more effectively. The Judiciary has also managed to address some of the challenges of case backlogs through increasing the number of magistrates and judges and introducing online and digital technology,” he said.
He urged Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), whom he supervises, to take a leading role in promoting human rights and ensuring that people receive timely justice.
Kakande said RDCs, as chairpersons of district security committees, should work closely with police officers, particularly District Police Commanders (DPCs) and officers in charge of investigations, to ensure that complaints are handled promptly and professionally.
“Being the person in charge of all Resident District Commissioners, I would like to appeal to them, as chairpersons of district security committees, to take the lead in ensuring that local people receive quick justice. They should also promote human rights by working closely with officers responsible for investigations, DPCs and other government departments and agencies,” he said.
He added that government was also working to improve Uganda’s international image through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by promoting respect for human rights.
According to Kakande, a positive human rights record would help strengthen Uganda’s international relations, attract investors and promote tourism.
Meanwhile, Huda Abason Oleru, the Minister of State for Defence, said security agencies regularly reviewed their performance to assess progress in protecting human rights and maintaining peace and security.
She said the reviews brought together government institutions, including the ministries responsible for defence, internal affairs, justice and constitutional affairs, to examine the targets they had set, account for their performance and identify areas requiring improvement.
“Every year, security departments, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, meet to discuss the targets they have set in terms of protecting human rights. They account for their performance and identify ways of improving,” Oleru said.
She expressed satisfaction with what she described as improvements in the country’s security situation, saying security agencies had reduced criminal activities compared with previous years.
