Compensation for Torture Victims in Uganda: Explaining and Addressing the Delays

Compensation as part of the right to remedy is internationally recognised and provided for in various legal instruments. However, swift payment of compensation for victims of torture has been a challenge for many states. In Uganda, this can partly be attributed to the prevailing political environment, the legal framework in place governing the payment of compensation, and implementation issues. This paper examines the underlying factors that are responsible for the delay of compensation for torture victims in Uganda from the time of award by the Uganda Human Rights Commission Tribunal (UHRCT) up to the time of actual payment or lack thereof. The paper clarifies the state obligation in terms of providing compensation to torture victims, the institutional framework and the power dynamics involved and the follow up of the tribunal awards for compensation, the legal framework and its accessibility, enforceability and challenges. The study indicates that Uganda seemingly is committed to observing human rights and effectuating compensation for torture victims. This is evidenced by the laws, policies, directives and other human rights mechanisms in place or still in the making. However, these efforts have not yet yielded sufficient tangible results in practice. Legal, structural, institutional and individual power relations, and administrative gaps still exist in the system of government in regard to efficient and effective service delivery to victims of torture in the area of compensation. The paper also formulates some recommendations of what could be done to reduce on the delay of compensation to torture victims in Uganda in the future.