Uganda suspends over 50 civic groups charging non-compliance
Ugandan authorities have suspended more than 50 civic groups for allegedly not complying with regulations, dealing a blow to hundreds of thousands of people who benefit from the organizations’ activities
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Authorities in Uganda have suspended more than 50 civic groups for allegedly not complying with regulations, dealing a blow to hundreds of thousands of people who directly benefit from the organizations' activities.
The suspensions, which target agencies ranging from rights watchdogs to women's groups, were announced Friday by the government's Non-Governmental Organization Bureau. Prominent rights group Chapter Four Uganda and election observer group CCEDU are among 15 facing indefinite suspensions over allegedly failing to file annual returns and audited accounts.
The suspensions take immediate effect and will be enforced, the NGO Bureau said in a statement.
The government's action will renew fears of an assault on civil society that grew before a charged presidential election earlier this year. Many of the affected groups have been in limbo for months, unable to carry out their regular activities after authorities suspended the operations of a leading donor known as the Democratic Governance Facility, or DGF.
“Unfortunately, in our failing democracy, anything can happen,” said Dickens Kamugisha, whose group advocating good energy governance is among the suspended. “This is all part of the political harassment of citizens and the NGOs "
He said he had expected the suspensions to happen sooner after the DGF's troubles as well as multiple attacks on the offices of civic groups seen as critical of the government.
DGF was launched in 2011 by Denmark Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the European Union as a five-year program to support government and non-governmental groups working to promote human rights, strengthen democracy and improve accountability.
Renewed in 2018 and with offices in the Danish embassy in Kampala, the capital, the fund says it aims to encourage Uganda to be a country “where citizens are empowered to engage in democratic governance and the state upholds citizens’ rights.”
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni a U.S. ally who has held power since 1986 and was reelected in January, has repeatedly accused unnamed Western nations and groups of interfering in the internal affairs of the East African country.
Museveni won the Jan. 14 polls with 58% of the vote while his closest rival, the singer and lawmaker known as Bobi Wine, had 35%, according to official results. Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, claims that he won the election and that Museveni's victory is fraudulent.