Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Chairperson Mariam Fauzat Wangadya has revealed that President Museveni rejected her resignation and directed her to remain in office as the substantive chairperson of the Commission.
Wangadya made the revelation on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when she appeared before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to respond to queries arising from the Auditor General’s report.
At the start of the proceedings, COSASE Chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi asked Wangadya to clarify her status following reports that she had resigned from the UHRC.
“Now that you are here, we want to appreciate the capacity under which you appear, either as a former or the current. Please guide us and assist us to understand whether you resigned, and if you resigned, whether the resignation was accepted, or whether you were reinstated,” Nkunyingi said.
Wangadya confirmed that she had submitted a resignation letter to President Museveni but said it was rejected.
“It is true. I wrote a letter of resignation to His Excellency the President, and my resignation was rejected,” Wangadya told the committee.
She said the Attorney General had subsequently clarified her status before Parliament, stating that her resignation had not been accepted and that she therefore remained the substantive chairperson of the UHRC.
“The Attorney General of this country addressed Parliament, and in his address, he very clearly said that my resignation had not been accepted, and that I remain the substantive chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission,” she said.
Wangadya said she received the President’s decision through a telephone call rather than a written communication.
“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, if I had left office, to return to office immediately,” she said.
She added that she complied with the directive and returned to office, saying the decision was consistent with the position earlier communicated by the Attorney General.
“I respect the Fountain of Honour, so I am in office. I appear as the chairperson, not former chairperson,” Wangadya clarified.
Wangadya’s appearance before COSASE followed a directive by the committee for the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to arrest and produce her before Parliament after she failed to honour two previous summonses.
The committee had summoned her to respond to queries arising from the Auditor General’s report.
Her appearance now allows the committee to proceed with questioning on the audit matters while also clarifying her continued status as UHRC chairperson.
