Agather Atuhaire

Agather Atuhaire (born c. 1988) is a Ugandan lawyer, journalist, and human rights activist known for her investigative work on corruption and maladministration in public institutions. Her reporting, particularly on the Parliament of Uganda, has led to public discourse and has earned her international recognition, including the EU Human Rights Defenders Award and the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award.

Early life and education

Atuhaire was born in Sheema District in Western Uganda. She has spoken about a difficult childhood, attributing it to her father's struggles with alcoholism. Supported by a scholarship, she completed her secondary education at Alliance School Mbarara.

Although her initial ambition was to study law, financial constraints led her to first pursue a degree in journalism at Makerere University. She later returned to Makerere University to complete a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, fulfilling her long-held goal of becoming a lawyer.

Career

Mainstream journalism

Atuhaire began her career in journalism while at university. After graduating, she worked for several Ugandan news outlets. Her experience includes roles with print publications such as The Independent (Uganda) and Daily Monitor. In broadcast, she worked for NBS Television and later for NTV Uganda, where she was a regular political analyst on the ''Fourth Estate'' talk show, which she eventually went on to host.

Investigative journalism and activism

After leaving mainstream media, Atuhaire transitioned into freelance investigative journalism. She began using social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), as her primary platform to publish her findings. She explained this shift was motivated by the belief that information shared on social media reaches a wider and more engaged audience than through traditional channels. This independent work allowed her to focus on long-form investigations into corruption and maladministration within major public institutions.

Law Development Centre investigation

Atuhaire gained national attention for her investigation into the Law Development Centre, Uganda's sole provider of the bar course. She exposed alleged systemic issues, including unexplained examination failures, a lack of transparent appeal processes for students, and general maladministration. Her reporting brought the long-standing frustrations of many law students to the forefront of public debate.

Parliamentary expenditure ccandals

In 2023, Atuhaire led a high-profile investigation into the Parliament of Uganda's expenditure. She published documents and details revealing that the leadership, including Speaker Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, had procured expensive luxury vehicles using public funds, despite already having access to official vehicles. Her reports indicated that parliamentary officials who initially opposed the purchase were replaced by more compliant individuals. This exposé led to public outcry and threats against her, though no legal action was taken against her as her reporting was based on documented evidence.

#UgandaParliamentExhibition

In 2024, Atuhaire was a central figure in the online anti-corruption campaign known as the #UgandaParliamentExhibition. Working alongside other activists like Dr. Spire Ssentongo, she used social media to expose alleged large-scale corruption, nepotism, and extravagant spending within the Parliament of Uganda. The campaign utilized leaked documents to detail questionable financial transactions, inflated allowances, and irregularities in staff recruitment. The exhibition generated intense national dialogue and put significant pressure on parliamentary leadership to address the allegations of misuse of public funds.

Awards and recognition

Atuhaire's work in journalism and human rights has earned her several international awards.
* In June 2022, she was named Human Rights Defender of the Month by the human rights organization DefendDefenders.
* In May 2023, she received the EU Human Rights Defenders Award. The EU Ambassador to Uganda, Jan Sadek, presented the award, citing her courage in tackling corruption and her impactful work on the Law Development Centre and parliamentary accountability.
* In March 2024, she was honored with the International Women of Courage Award by the U.S. Department of State. The award was presented by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden in Washington, D.C., recognizing her "unwavering commitment to transparency and holding powerful institutions accountable."

Following the IWOC ceremony, she participated in the U.S. Department of State's ''International Visitor Leadership Program'' (IVLP).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atuhaire, Agather
Living people
1988 births
People from Sheema District
Ugandan human rights activists
Ugandan lawyers
Ugandan women journalists
Makerere University alumni
Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award
Anti-corruption activists