54 NGOs Indefinitely Suspended by the NGO Bureau Over Expired Permits

The National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO Bureau) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs has halted the operations of 54 NGOs due to non-compliance with the NGO Act 2016.

The NGO Bureau Executive Director, Stephen Okello, explained that 23 of these were operating with expired NGO permits contrary to section 31 (1) and 32(1) of the NGO Act 2016.

These organizations include among others; Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO), Western Ankole Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) and Citizens’ Concerns Africa.

“15 NGOs have failed to file annual returns and audited books of accounts to the NGO Bureau contrary to section 39(2) and (3) of the NGO Act 2016 and have other non-compliance issues,” Okello revealed.

He noted that these have other non-compliance issues which include among others; Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU), Femrite Uganda Women Writers’ Association, and Citizens Election Watch-IT.

Also, the Bureau has halted activities of 16 NGOs which are operating without registering with the NGO Bureau contrary to section 29 (1), 31 (1) and 31 (2).

Okello urged the general public and all its stakeholders to take note of its decision against the affected organisations.

He informed all NGOs and CBOs that only those registered, with valid permits and those compliant with submission of annual returns and audited books of accounts, will be allowed to operate.

“We call upon District NGO Monitoring Committees (DNMCs) to submit to the NGO Bureau an inventory of all NGOs and an up-to-date register of all CBOs operating in their districts as per Wednesday 30th June, 2021,” Okello stated.

To enforce these decisions, Okello urged all its stakeholders from the National, District and Sub-County levels to offer a hand by ensuring that these affected organizations halt their operations with immediate effect.

These were also asked to only allow those registered and with valid permits to operate in their districts and furnish annual returns and any required information to the relative authorities.

The halting of these organizations came as a result of the Bureau’s monitoring and investigation functions which found that 54 NGOs are non-compliant with the NGO Act 2016.

The NGO Bureau is mandated to register, regulate, monitor, inspect, coordinate and oversee all NGO operations in the country.