About
Lyandro Komakech is a Visiting Fellow at FLIA and one of East Africa's most authoritative voices on transitional justice, post-conflict governance, and international human rights law. His career uniquely straddles rigorous academic scholarship and high-level public service — combining over two decades of ground-level research in conflict-affected communities with consequential legislative leadership at the national level.
A former Member of Parliament for Gulu Municipality in Uganda's 10th Parliament, Komakech served on the Committee on Human Rights and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and chaired the Greater North Parliamentary Forum. He introduced the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill 2020 — landmark legislation designed to safeguard civil society actors, activists, and legal practitioners from state repression and arbitrary arrest.
Prior to his parliamentary career, he served as Senior Research and Advocacy Officer and Deputy Head of Programme for Conflict, Transitional Justice and Governance at the Refugee Law Project, the Centre for Justice and Forced Migrants at Makerere University School of Law — where he led internationally recognised research on traditional justice mechanisms and transitional accountability in post-LRA Northern Uganda.
At the LSE, Komakech pursues advanced scholarly inquiry at the intersection of political science, law, and development — examining how post-conflict states construct governance frameworks that are rooted in local custom yet aligned with international accountability norms. He holds two Master's degrees: one in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies from Makerere University, and another in Development Studies from Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi.
Research Interest
- Transitional justice frameworks and hybrid accountability mechanisms
- Traditional and indigenous justice systems in post-conflict settings
- International human rights law and the protection of civil society space
- Forced migration, refugee rights, and displacement governance
- Governance reform and institutional capacity in fragile states
Regions of Focus
- Northern Uganda
- East & Central Africa
Areas of Expertise
- Transitional Justice & Accountability
- Traditional & Indigenous Justice
- International Human Rights Law
- Post-Conflict Governance & Policy
- Forced Migration & Refugee Rights
- Peace & Conflict Analysis
Selected Publications
- Tradition in Transition: Drawing on the Old to Develop a Jurisprudence for Dealing with Uganda's Legacy of Violence. Working Paper. Refugee Law Project, Centre for Justice and Forced Migrants, Makerere University School of Law. — A seminal contribution to debates on integrating Acholi traditional accountability practices into Uganda's formal transitional justice framework.
- Exploring the Place of Traditional Justice in Post-Conflict Uganda. Book Chapter. — Examines Mato Oput and other Acholi restorative practices as culturally grounded pathways to communal healing, reconciliation, and sustainable peace.
- Compendium of Conflicts in Uganda (Co-Author). — A comprehensive reference work documenting the history, dynamics, geography, and key actors across Uganda's multiple conflict theatres. Widely used by researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and peace practitioners.
- Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill 2020 (Legislative Authorship). Parliament of Uganda. — A landmark private member's bill seeking constitutional and statutory protection for human rights defenders, civil society actors, activists, and legal practitioners operating in Uganda.