Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of steps taken towards (a) accountability for and (b) justice for the victims of the violence against protestors and bystanders during the protests in Uganda between 18-20 November 2020.

The violent actions of some members of the security forces between 18 and 20 November 2020 have no place in any society. The UK welcomed and was encouraged by the Government of Uganda's public commitment to hold those responsible to account. But progress since has been too slow. Our High Commission in Kampala continues to regularly raise these issues with the Government of Uganda and has publicly called for a transparent and independent investigation to hold those responsible to account for their actions. The UK reiterated this call during Uganda's recent review under the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review Mechanism on 15 January 2022. I was also able to raise our concerns with President Museveni and Foreign Minister Odongo during my visit to Uganda on 19 January 2022. I stressed the importance of upholding their obligations under international human rights law and respecting democratic freedoms. The UK will continue to work with all Ugandans to advocate for democratic freedoms and respect for human rights.