During the official opening of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) workshop on Human Rights and Gender Equality in Counter-Terrorism, Lady Justice Mariam Wangadya delivered a compelling message to security and justice stakeholders: Uganda must not fight terror by violating the very rights it seeks to protect.
“We are gathered here to discuss terrorism. To confront it. To outthink it. But above all, to do so without compromising the very values terrorism seeks to destroy,” she said, addressing a room of police officials, prosecutors, and international partners.
Wangadya emphasized that while Uganda faces real security threats, sacrificing constitutional safeguards such as the 48-hour rule for detaining suspects without charge risks eroding public trust and weakening the justice system.
“No nation will ever arrest or detain its way to peace,” she added. “Security that tramples rights is not security.”
Her remarks come at a time when security agencies, particularly the Uganda Police Force and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, face growing pressure to respond swiftly to suspected terror threats. However, the failure to consistently uphold legal procedures has drawn criticism from rights groups and civil society.
Wangadya acknowledged existing challenges such as police understaffing and operational constraints, which often make it difficult to adhere to constitutional timelines. Nonetheless, she called for investment in institutional capacity to prevent procedural violations from becoming systemic.
“Let us work toward building the infrastructure necessary to honour such timelines faithfully or else we risk undermining both the spirit and the letter of the law,” she said.
The workshop, which focused on integrating human rights and gender equality into counter-terrorism strategies, also aimed to equip frontline officers with tools to address terror threats without abusing power.
Wangadya’s message was clear: even in the face of danger, Uganda must remain anchored in justice and legality.
“A just state does not fear fair trials,” she concluded. “Let us not instill fear in the very people we are meant to protect.”
As Uganda navigates a complex security landscape, voices like Wangadya’s are pushing for a more principled and rights-centered approach to national defense one that holds justice at its core.
