UGANDA

TJ MECHANISMS
is an increase in incidents of mob justice. 508 As victims continue to suffer, accountability
for human rights abuses and resulting destabilisation of the country is essential. 509 While
participants acknowledged that ensuring accountability is particularly difficult with
regard to senior politicians and leaders, they stated that those responsible must be held
to account through the appropriate mechanisms, be they rebels, Government officials
or civilians. 510
Means of Accountability
Participants’ views on how accountability could be achieved in Uganda ranged beyond
criminal prosecutions alone to encompass a broad and varied spectrum of transitional
justice mechanisms. Most participants throughout Uganda see the award of reparations
as a key component of accountability. In some districts, participants described how
promises made to communities remain unfulfilled. 511,512 Suggestions included the
restitution of looted property and drawing upon the resources of the perpetrators. 513
Participants in Nakasongola district, for example, specified that President Museveni
should provide compensation specifically for the loss of lives and property during the
NRA Bush War. 514 Participants further believed that reparations would be enhanced by
apologies that victims saw as genuine. 515
Participants also regarded just prosecutions as a form of accountability, but argued
that a lack of independence in the judicial process facilitates the evasion of justice by
perpetrators. 516 Some said that Joseph Kony should be criminally prosecuted for LRA
crimes committed under his command. 517 Likewise, they argued, other rebel leaders,
former rebels who currently hold Government positions, and corrupt officials should be
held to account, and the property of the latter should be confiscated. 518 The pervasive
demand for accountability does not remain confined to prosecutorial justice but also
encompasses reconciliation. 519 In northern Uganda, for example, where atrocities were
committed on all sides of the conflict, participants felt that both Joseph Kony and the
current Government should accept their responsibility, apologise openly, repent and ask
for forgiveness. 520 Apologies can thus be seen as a central component of accountability.
Furthermore, in the eyes of communities, truth-telling mechanisms are one of the key
and acceptable forms of accountability, because truth-telling facilitates the acceptance
of responsibility for one’s actions. 521 Institutional reform was another mechanism that
508 Research conducted in Hoima District
509 Research conducted in Hoima and Mukono Districts
510 Research conducted in Mukono, Kitgum and Nakapiripirit Districts
511 Research conducted in Nakasongola District
512 Research conducted in Hoima District
513 Research conducted in Mukono District
514 Research conducted in Nakasongola District
515 Research conducted in Hoima and Soroti Districts
516 Research conducted in Soroti District
517 Research conducted in Nakasongola District
518 Research conducted in Nakasongola and Mukono Districts
519 Research conducted in Soroti District
520 Research conducted in Adjumani District
521 Research conducted in Mukono and Hoima Districts
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