Uganda suspends at least 50 NGOs

Authorities in Uganda have suspended the work of at least 50 local NGOs for various reasons including failure to register.

Others have been suspended indefinitely for failing to submit audited books of accounts and annual returns to the National Bureau for NGOs.

The bureau, which is a department of the Internal Affairs Ministry oversees the registration and operations of NGOs nationally.

Several of the NGOs work on human rights and policy issues, while others are religious-founded, and women’s rights organisations.

Those whose work has been suspended indefinitely include Chapter Four Uganda, founded and led by human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo.

Chapter Four has not submitted its books of accounts and returns to the bureau since 2016, according to the bureau’s statement.

But Mr Opiyo rejected the allegations saying the organisation has always complied with the registration requirements.

“We’ve always acted above board,” he tweeted:

Mr Opiyo was arrested and charged with money laundering in December 2020. The authorities investigated the source of funds for his NGO. He was later granted bail but is still facing the charges.

The African Centre for Energy Governance also claims it has met all legal requirements and adds that it would explore legal options to “end the targeted delegitimisation, defamation, public shaming and other tactics aimed at stopping civil society organisations… from playing their role of holding government accountable.”

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