Uganda suspends more than 50 NGOs for non-compliance with regulations

Authorities in Uganda have suspended more than 50 Non-Governmental Organisations for allegedly not complying with regulations, dealing a blow to hundreds of thousands of people who directly benefit from the organisations’ activities.

The suspensions, which target agencies ranging from rights watchdogs to women’s groups, were announced on Friday by the government’s Non-Governmental Organization Bureau.

Authorities say the measures were taken in response to the groups’ violation of certain regulations, including operating with expired permits, failing to file accounts.

A prominent rights group in the country called, ‘Chapter Four ‘ is among those suspended.

“Indeed, on Friday morning, the Executive Director of National NGO Bureau, the regulator of NGOs here in Uganda, announced at a press conference, two things. The first; the suspension of permits of organisations that they deem were operating in violation of the law. The second category whose permits have expired. In our case, the reason was that we have not filed returns, as required by the law, and declare our sources of funding. Those were the stated reasons for our suspension,” Chapter Four Executive Director Nicholas Opiyo.