KAMPALA The government has directed the Secretary of the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations, Mr Stephen Okello, to lift the suspension of 10 organisations whose operations were halted earlier this year.
On January 9, the Bureau, which operates under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, suspended the operating permits and froze the bank accounts of several human rights and election-monitoring organisations, just days before the 2026 General Election.
Speaking during the quarterly dialogue meeting between the Minister of Internal Affairs and NGO leaders in Kampala, the minister, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, said he had reviewed the circumstances surrounding the suspensions and found that some of the issues raised were minor.
Prof Kamuntu subsequently directed Mr Okello to lift the suspension and allow the affected organisations to resume their operations, while cautioning them against activities that could create friction with the government or contravene the law.
“Let me mention right away that those suspended NGOs, since I assumed office, I have reviewed your situation. I have found that some of the things you did were minor. We are a strong government; we can ignore them and lift the suspension,” Prof Kamuntu said.
He added: “We are very strong, and I direct Okello to lift the ban and allow you to resume your activities. But be careful this time and operate within the law. Do not meander outside the law, otherwise you will cause some trouble.”
The meeting is being held under the theme, “Enhancing a Sustainable Relationship between Government and the Civil Society Sector in Uganda through Dialogue.”
The organisations affected by the suspension include: African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), Alliance for Campaign Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), Agora Centre for Research, African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV), Chapter Four Uganda, Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF), Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL), National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda (NCHRD-U), Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U).
