By: Innocent Mawire, Programme Officer
A nine-member delegation from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) Harare Office recently concluded a highly insightful benchmarking visit to Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government (IG), which took place from 17 to 19 February 2025. The visiting delegation, which was led by the ZHRC Commissioner, Mr Martin Muduva was warmly received by the IG officials led be the Deputy Inspector General of Government Mrs Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe.
The primary objective of the visit was for the ZHRC delegation to gain a deeper understanding of the IG’s broad mandate in public administration, with a particular focus on its ombudsman role. The ZHRC sought to identify key practices and strategies that could be adapted to strengthen its own administrative justice framework, with the ultimate goal of improving its ability to promote and protect human rights and effective public administration within the broad spectrum of enhancing good governance in Zimbabwe.
During the visit, the delegation was provided with an overview of the legal and institutional framework governing Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government (IG), covering constitutional provisions, relevant legislation, and policy frameworks. The delegation delved deeply into the IG’s operations, learning how it promotes transparency, accountability, and fairness within Uganda’s public sector. This allowed them to gain a thorough understanding of the IG’s legal mandate and institutional structure, both of which are essential in promoting good governance and maintaining public trust.
Another key area of focus was the IG’s processes for conducting investigations. The delegation was given a detailed overview of the IG’s approach to handling cases of maladministration and abuse of power. They were particularly impressed with the institution’s commitment to ensuring impartial, thorough, and transparent investigations, which are vital for maintaining integrity and accountability within the public sector.
The delegation also had the opportunity to learn about the IG’s extensive stakeholder engagements. These collaborations are fundamental to the institution’s efforts in promoting good governance and enhancing administrative justice in Uganda. Through partnerships with various stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organisations, and the public, the IG ensures a more inclusive and participatory approach to governance, which was something the ZHRC delegation was keen to enhance within the scope of its mandate.
A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to learn about the IG’s capacity-building initiatives. The delegation was particularly impressed by the variety of training programs and networking activities designed to improve the skills and knowledge of the IG’s staff and external stakeholders. These initiatives are crucial for building the institutional capacities required to address complex governance challenges and strengthen administrative justice processes in Uganda.
The use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by the IG was another noteworthy aspect of the visit. The delegation observed how the IG employs ADR as a key tool to resolve administrative justice and maladministration issues. Unlike litigation, this approach offers a less adversarial and more efficient way of addressing grievances, making it a key area of focus for the ZHRC as it seeks to strengthen its own dispute resolution mechanisms in Zimbabwe.
The delegation also visited the IG’s regional offices in Jinja, where they gained a deeper understanding of the IG’s decentralised mandate. This visit highlighted the importance of reaching communities beyond the capital, allowing the IG to address local governance issues and provide services to more remote areas. The decentralisation model adopted by the IG was seen as an effective way to ensure that citizens across the country have access to administrative justice.
The ZHRC delegation had the opportunity to meet with the Uganda Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission—both of which are sister commissions to the Inspectorate of Government—further enriching their experience and broadening their understanding of effective human rights and governance practices
Finally, the delegation explored the IG’s Case Management System (CMS) which was developed inhouse by the IG’s ICT experts. The CMS was shown to be a critical tool for managing the IG’s workflow and tracking cases effectively. The delegation was impressed by how the system streamlined processes and enhanced the institution’s ability to handle cases efficiently. The ZHRC delegation recognised the ardent need for adapting a similar system to improve their own operations and better serve its clients.
Commissioner Martin Muduva expressed appreciation for the knowledge shared by the Inspectorate of Government and emphasised that the visit provided valuable insights that would inform ZHRC’s work in strengthening administrative justice in Zimbabwe. The delegation left Uganda with a renewed commitment to adopting best practices and building on the IG’s successes to enhance its role in protecting human rights and promoting good governance. The RWI Country Director, Zimbabwe, Mikael Johansson expressed appreciation to the IG for hosting the ZHRC and highlighted the importance of the benchmarking visit, underscoring that it provided the ZHRC with significant insights to enhance its public protector mandate, particularly the need to equip the ZHRC with the necessary tools and knowledge to strengthen its ability to effectively fulfill its administrative justice mandate.
The study visit marked an important step in the collaboration between Zimbabwe and Uganda’s human rights institutions, with a shared goal of advancing transparency, accountability, and justice for all citizens. The study visit was supported by RWI with funding from the European Union within the broad framework of the “Support to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission” project.
