The Ugandan government on Friday, August 20, 2021 ordered the suspension with “immediate effect” of 54 NGOs operating in the country. This includes the main civil liberties organization, Chapter Four, in a move seen as tightening its grip on civil society.
The 54 associations are operating in the political, societal, religious and environmental spheres of the Ugandan economy. The NGOs were accused of “non-compliance” with the law, the NGO Bureau, which is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to a statement, these organizations were operating without being registered, with expired permits or repeatedly failed to submit their annual reports and accounts.
Fifty-Three (53) other organizations in addition to Chapter 4 have been “suspended indefinitely”.
Suspension of Chapter Four
The executive director of Chapter Four, Nicholas Opiyo, confirmed having received this notification, judging the situation “serious”. Meanwhile, the Africa section of the International Commission of Jurists said it was “deeply concerned” by the suspension of Chapter Four.
“We encourage the authorities to urgently resolve this situation to allow Chapter Four to resume its activities”.
International Commission of Jurists
On her part, Charity Ahimbisibwe, head of the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU), described the decision as “extremely regrettable”. The CCEDU is another organization that has been suspended by the government.
She explained that CCEDU’s operating permit had expired but yet to be renewed. She indicated that it could not be renewed because of the coronavirus containment measures. She also cited visible obstruction by government officials as another reason.
“As a law-abiding organization, we will not continue to operate without a permit”.
Charity Ahimbisibwe
NGOs active during the presidential election
Some of the organizations affected by the decision were involved in an observation operation during the disputed presidential election in January.
That operation was raided by security forces and several leaders were arrested.
The election saw President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, re-elected for a sixth term. This was after a violent campaign marked by the harassment and arrest of opposition figures. Prominent among those arrested were main opposition leader and member of parliament Bobi Wine, which resulted in attacks on the media and the deaths of dozens of people.
Last November, at least 56 people were shot dead while protesting against the arrest of Bobi Wine.
According to the opposition, hundreds of his supporters also disappeared or died during the violent post-election crackdown.
Ahimbisibwe said her organization, the SEAC, was repeatedly summoned by authorities after a report was published alleging fraud during the election.
Arrest of founder of Chapter Four
A month before the election, Nicholas Opiyo, founder of Chapter Four was arrested and charged with money laundering.
Several countries, including the United States and the EU, protested against his arrest. The UN special rapporteurs on human rights denounced the “fictitious charges” and the prosecution “seemingly linked only to the electoral context” in Uganda. The Ugandan civil society figure was released on bail a week later.
Meanwhile, President Museveni publicly reprimanded his security forces for being too violent before and after the election.
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