A section of activists has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oboth-Oboth, seeking parliamentary intervention into the suspension of some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the failure to constitute the national bureau for non-governmental organisations.
The petition also raises constitutional and governance concerns regarding abuse of administrative power, disregard of statutory procedures, and the erosion of the rule of law in the regulation of NGOs in Uganda.
In an August 3 letter co-signed by a total of 31 petitioners from different CSOs and NGOs, activists claim that the suspension violated the Constitution, in addition to crippling organisations working on constitutionalism, human rights, civic education, election observation, and access to justice.
On January 9, 10 organisations were suspended through administrative directives arbitrarily issued by the commissioner-in-charge of the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations. They include: African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), Agora Centre for Research, African Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV), and Chapter Four Uganda.
Others are Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), National NGO Forum, Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL), National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (NCHRD), and Human Rights Network for Journalists.
Mr Henry Muguzi, the executive director of ACFIM, on behalf of other petitioners, urged Parliament to fulfil its mandate, pursuant to Articles 79, 90 and 94 of the Constitution of Uganda and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament by fulfilling its constitutional oversight mandate over the ministry responsible for NGO affairs and the Bureau for Non- Governmental Organisations to ensure their operations resume without any conditions.
‘The suspensions have persisted for several months despite there being no legally constituted bureau capable of making such decisions and despite the absence of any legal provision authorising indefinite suspension of NGOs,’ Mr Muguzi said in the petition.
The petitioners argue that the NGO Act establishes the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations as a statutory body responsible for regulating the NGO Sector.
However, following the 2024 amendments to the Act, the Bureau has not been duly constituted because its members have neither been appointed nor gazetted as required by law.
They now want Parliament to inquire into the legality of the decisions taken in the name of the Bureau during this period and take appropriate remedial action where necessary.
The acting director of communication and public affairs, Parliament of Uganda, Ms Grace Gidudu, said the petition will be forwarded to the relevant offices for further action to be taken. ‘After the petition was received, I am sure those offices are now going to work on,’ she told this publication.