Bobi Wine: Wangadya's Resignation a Cautionary Tale for Civil Servants

Following the resignation of Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) chairperson, Mariam Wangadya, National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, has issued a stern warning and piece of advice to public servants across Uganda.

Kyagulanyi emphasized that official positions and the power they confer are temporary, stressing that what truly endures is an individual’s reputation and conscience. “Offices are temporary but reputations are permanent. Power expires. Titles disappear. Official protection ends. What remains is your name, your conscience, and the legacy of the choices you made while you had authority,” he stated.

Wangadya recently resigned from her role at the UHRC, citing a “toxic work environment” and expressing concerns over the appointment process for commissioners. In a letter to President Museveni, she had publicly critiqued the practice of appointing individuals based on political patronage rather than merit, arguing that such decisions were weakening the institution’s ability to uphold human rights.

She described the UHRC as sometimes being treated as a “dumping ground for individuals who have been rejected by the electorate, or as a place to reward those who have persistently complained about poverty, financial hardship, or even their inability to afford medical treatment and ARVs.” Wangadya questioned the efficacy of expecting an institution to be strengthened by commissioners lacking credibility.

Bobi Wine echoed these sentiments, urging public officials to consider the long-term consequences of their actions. “Before accepting the role of persecuting, silencing, or oppressing fellow Ugandans for political survival or personal gain, ask yourself one question: What will remain when the office and the power are gone?” he advised. He suggested that those who align themselves with the current government might not always be guaranteed future protection, implying that officials may fall out of favor once they are no longer deemed useful.

According to The Nile Post.