COSASE orders Wangadya to produce letter withdrawing resignation
“Since I wrote that letter (resignation) or since it became public, I have been treated like resignation is a taboo. Like it is something negative or something to be ashamed about. How I wish this country had a culture of people resigning from high positions like the one I hold for whatever reasons,” Wangadya noted.
Wangadya added, “The reasons for my attempt to resign were not disclosed in the letter but were verbally disclosed to the President, and I have since written to him a brief about the status, not just of myself but of the Commission, and he told me to remain in Office.” (Credit: Miriam Namutebi)
KAMPALA - The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has directed Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Chairperson Fauzat Mariam Wangadya to furnish it with a copy of the letter in which she rescinded her earlier resignation.
Early last month, Wangadya, a former Deputy Inspector General of Government, threw in the towel in dramatic fashion.
Wangadya said the body charged with enforcement of citizen rights had been reduced to a dumping ground for political failures and the indebted.
COSASE chairperson Muwadda Nkunyingi (Kyadondo East) had earlier issued a directive for Wangadya to appear or be arrested for contempt. This was after Wangadya had snubbed two summons to appear before the committee.
But Wangadya appeared today (August 11) at 9:00am before officers from the Criminal Investigations Directorate could serve her with the summons.
When Wangadya appeared today with officials from UHRC, Nkunyingi said; "To avoid ambiguity, Madam Mariam, I just want that if your resignation was rejected, you must have the courtesy of writing back to withdraw and avail a copy." (All Photos by Miriam Namutebi)
The development followed Wangadya’s admission today that she remains the substantive chairperson of UHRC by default, after her resignation was allegedly rejected by the appointing authority, President Yoweri Museveni.
“The response I received from the appointing authority was through a phone call. It was not in writing. Sometimes, His Excellency the President communicates through phone calls, and I was instructed that if I had left office to return immediately, and I complied with the directive of the Fountain of Honour,” she disclosed.
Wangadya added, “The reasons for my attempt to resign were not disclosed in the letter but were verbally disclosed to the President, and I have since written to him a brief about the status, not just of myself but of the Commission, and he told me to remain in Office.”
However, when she was pressed to substantiate what Attorney General Sam Mayanja meant that she had submitted a notice of resignation, Wangadya said; “Be it as it may, lawmakers should take it that I remain in office.” She wondered why her resignation had become a hot potato.
She added, “I have ever resigned from the Uganda Human Rights Commission in 2013. I was a member, and I resigned, and at that time my resignation was accepted. But this time, my resignation was not accepted. I should think that resignation is something positive, and where any officer at whatever level is under pressure and thinks they can no longer continue, I think that should be welcomed instead of being vilified.”
However, several lawmakers, including Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu (Kalungu West), were not about to be taken for a ride.
“There’s nothing in Parliament, as alleged by Madam Wangadya, that there is a verbal communication. You see, there is an intention to resign and tendering in a resignation. Madam Wangadya tendered in her resignation, and we must handle this matter carefully,” Ssewungu cautioned, adding, “If you were appointed in writing and you tendered in your resignation in writing, there must be another writing rescinding the resignation.”
Wangadya was among the founding members of the UHRC established by Article 51(1) of the Constitution, where she served for 17 years before moving to the Inspectorate of Government, where she deputised Justice Irene Mulyagonja.
She later bounced back to UHRC in an elevated capacity as the chairperson in 2021, a job which, in her own words, "has turned out to be a nightmare."