UGANDA

TJ MECHANISMS
Commission, from 2000 to 2012 over 26,000 reporters from 30 different insurgent
groups were granted amnesty and reinserted in their communities, with the Amnesty
Act also providing avenues to peace negotiations with insurgent groups. 570
On 23 rd May 2012, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Hillary Onek, signed two
statutory instruments extending the Amnesty Act but declaring the lapse of Part II of the
Act, which gives the Commission powers to grant amnesty certificates. This effectively
ended amnesty for those affiliated with rebel groups. Exactly a year later, however, the
declaration of the lapse of Part II was revoked and Part II was thereby be deemed to have
continued in force. The whole Amnesty Act is set to remain in force until May 25 th , 2015.
The research for the NRTJ Audit was conducted prior to the initial lapse of the Amnesty
Act. The NRTJ Audit validation workshop with civil society representatives took place
after the lapse. In this workshop, participants confirmed the importance of the Amnesty
Act; several called for it to be reinstituted in some form, while some dissenting voices
claimed it fostered impunity. 571
Participants from all districts acknowledged benefits of amnesty, yet many cautioned
against implementing amnesty without community involvement and complementary
transitional justice mechanisms such as reparations, truth-telling, and reconciliation
through apology and forgiveness. Some also favoured prosecutions in certain cases. For
example, those in Lira claimed that they had more faith in formal justice institutions
than people in Acholi land, but their unwillingness to prosecute perpetrators from the
UPDF weakened this system. The complexity of the amnesty process and the reactions it
inspires from various communities are outlined below.
Epelu-Opio’s book Teso War: Causes and Consequences documents
how, in Teso, in 1989, amnesty was granted by the National Resistance
Movement Government by decree, encouraging rebels to surrender.
A Presidential Pardon was also announced. Nonetheless, rebellion
persisted. The war did finally come to an end two years after the
creation of the Presidential Commission for Teso, through organised
events, meetings and dialogue.
Perceived Benefits
It was widely agreed that amnesty played a key role in ending rebellions in Uganda,
particularly in the northern and eastern regions of the country, and remains an important
tool for ending conflict in general. 572 In some cases, this occurred on a local Government
level even before the Amnesty Act was created. 573 Participants noted that amnesty fosters
a reconciliatory mood for former fighters and communities, and has successfully drawn
fighters out of the bush and brought them to the negotiating table. 574 Others mentioned that
570 See Kato, D. (2012) DDR in Uganda. The Amnesty Commission [Internet], 12 December. Available from:
[Accessed 12 September, 2012]
571 Notes from the NRTJ Audit Validation Workshop in Mukono, 28 August 2012
572 Research conducted in Bundibugyo, Bulambuli, Pader, Kitgum, Nakasongola, Arua, Hoima, Nakapiripirit,
Tororo and Mbarara Districts
573 Research conducted in Tororo District
574 Research conducted in Gulu, Hoima and Mukono Districts
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