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Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Chairperson Mariam Wangadya has revealed that President Yoweri Museveni rejected her resignation and directed her to immediately return to office.
Wangadya made the revelation while appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Tuesday.
She was appearing before the committee to clarify reports surrounding her resignation and her current position at the human rights body.
According to Wangadya, she had indeed written a resignation letter to President Museveni, but the request was not accepted.
“Mr. Chairman, it is true I wrote a letter of resignation to His Excellency the President, and my resignation was rejected,” Wangadya told the committee.
She explained that her continued stay in office was also confirmed by Attorney General Dr Sam Mayanja during his communication to Parliament.
The Attorney General reportedly informed Parliament that Wangadya’s resignation had not been accepted and that she remained the substantive chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
Wangadya said the President’s decision was communicated to her through a phone call rather than an official written response.
“The response I received from the appointing authority was through a phone call. It was not in writing,” she said.
She told lawmakers that President Museveni instructed her to return to office immediately if she had already left.
“Sometimes His Excellency the President communicates through phone calls, and I was instructed, if I had left office, to return to office immediately,” Wangadya said.
She added that she complied with the directive from the appointing authority.
Wangadya further argued that the Attorney General’s statement in Parliament reflected the President’s position on the matter.
She said the Attorney General was communicating on behalf of the President when he informed Parliament that her resignation had not been accepted.
“The words he spoke were the words of His Excellency the President,” she said.
The UHRC chairperson insisted that she attended the COSASE meeting in her official capacity as the current head of the commission.
“I appear as the chairperson, not the former chairperson of the Commission,” she told the committee.
Her remarks put to rest, according to her account, questions about whether she still holds the position of UHRC chairperson.
The resignation issue had attracted public attention, with questions raised about the leadership of the national human rights body.
Wangadya’s appearance before COSASE came as Parliament continued examining the operations and accountability of various statutory institutions.
She maintained that she remains in office following the President’s rejection of her resignation.
The UHRC chairperson said she is ready to continue carrying out her responsibilities as the head of the commission.
Her statement has now provided her side of the events surrounding the resignation controversy and her return to office.
