PRESS STATEMENT | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kampala, Uganda | August 2025

Uganda Must Act: Public Square Welcomes UN Resolution Linking Corruption and Human Rights

Public Square welcomes the recent adoption of the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution on The Negative Impact of Corruption on the Enjoyment of Human Rights during its 59th Session. This landmark resolution underscores the undeniable reality that corruption is not just a governance failure; it is a human rights crisis. It systematically deprives citizens, especially the most vulnerable, of access to healthcare, education, justice, clean water, and safety.

We applaud the Council for affirming that corruption disproportionately affects the poor, widens inequality, erodes public trust, and obstructs progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions.

For Uganda, a country where public funds have repeatedly been lost to fraud, procurement collusion, embezzlement, and opaque political deals, this resolution is both timely, and urgent.

Key Implications for Uganda

The resolution explicitly:

1. Recognizes corruption as a direct threat to human rights, including the right to life, health, education, and participation in public affairs.

2. Calls on States to guarantee freedom of expression, media, and civil society as essential watchdogs in the fight against corruption.

3. Urges governments to create a safe and enabling environment for whistleblowers, journalists, and anti-corruption activists.

4. Demands policy coherence across governance, law, and human rights systems, including through national anti-corruption action plans and mechanisms for independent oversight.

In light of this resolution, Uganda must confront its persistent failure to implement meaningful anti-corruption measures. While Uganda is a party to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), its commitments remain largely rhetorical.

Uganda at a Crossroads: What Must Be Done

Public Square calls upon the Government of Uganda to:

1. Enact and enforce legal protections for whistleblowers, journalists, anti-corruption CSOs, and investigative media. These actors remain unprotected, harassed, or silenced, despite their critical role.

2. Publish and operationalize Uganda’s UNCAC review reports under the Implementation Review Mechanism, in line with Resolution Paragraph 1. Transparency is non-negotiable.

3. Strengthen and resource the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and the Judiciary to function independently and effectively, free from political interference.

4. Integrate anti-corruption priorities into national development frameworks, especially Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV) and Vision 2040, with measurable indicators tied to human rights outcomes.

5. Engage civil society and communities in designing and monitoring anti-corruption efforts. Real accountability begins at the local level, where corruption hits hardest.

6. Ensure digital transparency by expanding access to open government data, e-procurement systems, and public expenditure tracking platforms.

7. Prioritize corruption prevention in critical sectors such as health, education, land, and oil and gas, where grand corruption deprives citizens of essential services and intergenerational opportunity.

   
   

Our Commitment

As Public Square, we remain committed to building civic muscle for integrity, justice, and accountability. We urge the Government of Uganda to view this UN resolution not as an indictment, but as an opportunity to rebuild trust, reform institutions, and reclaim the future.

Uganda cannot meet its human rights obligations or achieve sustainable development without confronting the rot of corruption at all levels.

Let this resolution be a wake-up call. Uganda must act; not tomorrow, but now.

For media inquiries or interviews:

Contact: Public Square Advocacy Desk

Email: info@publicsquareea.org

Website: www.publicsquareea.org