UHRC says to roll out real-time human rights monitoring ahead of 2026 elections

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The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) says it has operationalised a Human Rights Election Situation Room.

The room is expected to conduct real-time monitoring of the 2026 General Election from all its regional offices, receive public complaints, track human rights incidents and generate periodic analytical briefs to guide early response.

UHRC chairperson Mariam Wangadya says the mechanism is already functional and forms the backbone of the Commission’s preparedness to safeguard political and civil rights before, during and after the polls slated for January 2026.

“This facility will co-ordinate real-time monitoring from all UHRC regional offices, receive and analyse complaints from the public, track human rights incidents, support rapid-verification teams and generate periodic analytical briefs,” Wangadya says.

She made the remarks on December 16, 2025, while hosting the East African Community (EAC) pre-election assessment team at the Commission’s offices in Kampala city.

She was joined by Crispin Kaheru, a commissioner, the UHRC director of legal affairs; Pauline Nansamba Mutumba, Diana Akampereza and Doreen Nabatte Mukunyu.

Wangadya said Uganda’s electoral environment is active and dynamic, with an improving but still sensitive human rights context that requires careful professional assessment.

She noted that elections in Uganda have historically been most volatile during the campaign period, making early and sustained observation critical.

“In Uganda, the campaign period is the most sensitive and shapes the entire electoral trajectory. Observers must witness it,” she said, recommending that the EAC deploy its observers immediately rather than closer to polling day.

As Uganda’s national human rights institution established under Article 51 of the 1995 Constitution, UHRC is mandated to monitor, investigate and report on the human rights situation in all processes, including elections.

Wangadya said this mandate, anchored in the Constitution and guided by the Paris Principles, extends across the entire electoral cycle.

She revealed that for the last 18 months, following the release of the Electoral Commission’s roadmap, UHRC has maintained continuous nationwide monitoring. This has included a hotspot-mapping exercise to identify districts most vulnerable to election-related tensions, which now guides deployment, early-warning alerts and preventive engagement with institutions.

The Commission has also held closed-door, technical engagements with security agencies to promote rights-based policing, proportionality and lawful crowd management.

Wangadya said recent discussions involving the Inspector General of Police and the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission yielded consensus on a rights-respecting approach to election security.

In addition, UHRC has worked with the National Initiative for Civic Education in Uganda (NICE-UG) and other partners to conduct civic education on rights, responsibilities and non-violence.

It has engaged political parties, civil society, the media, youth, religious and cultural leaders, and recently led a joint national appeal for calm alongside the Electoral Commission, Uganda Communications Commission and security agencies.

The EAC team commended the Commission for its comprehensive assessment and preparations. Wangadya said UHRC stands ready to serve as a technical anchor and early-warning partner to regional and international observer missions, stressing that early, structured observation would strengthen the credibility of Uganda’s 2026 elections.