By Stanley Ebele
A palpable sense of frustration and despair is growing among residents in Kotido district as they implore the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) to accelerate adjudication of long-pending human rights cases, emphasizing the urgent need for justice within their communities.
In Napumpum, Terressa Nachugae, a resident of Nakongomutu West cell says she has been waiting for justice for her only son for over three years.
Nachugae’s 12-year-old son was reportedly shot dead by a UPDF soldier in May 2022 while herding goats outside the compound.
Several cases in Kotido await resolution, including those filed by families in Losilang and Napumpum against the UPDF after 2022 disarmament operations.
The said cases, which were filed with the Uganda Human Rights Commission, have not seen the light.
Santos Lomongin, The Human Rights Officer Kotido Field Office stressed that strong evidence is crucial for successful tribunal outcomes in Moroto, warning that weak evidence could lead to case dismissal.
His statement follows reports of delayed justice, with some regional cases dating back to 2022.
The UHRC tribunal, with powers akin to a Chief Magistrate’s Court under Articles 52 and 53 of the Constitution, relies on presented evidence to hear, arbitrate, and award compensation in human rights violation cases.
Lomongin attributed delays to backlogs and funding issues, citing an unheard 2023 Losilang case and the active Napumpum case of a boy killed in May 2022.
Etoil A Karamoja has established that the Kotido human rights office has at least 10 pending cases.
While the UHRC announced tribunal sittings for Lira, Gulu, and Soroti in February 2025, Moroto, which handles Karamoja sub-region cases, was not mentioned.
