The Executive Director of Uganda's most prominent rights organisation Chapter Four, and the Chairperson of the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU), react to the Ugandan government's decision to close down 54 civil society groups. The shutdown was ordered "with immediate effect", the National Bureau for NGOs, part of the ministry of internal affairs, said in a statement. The Ugandan government said on Friday it had ordered more than 50 non-governmental organisations to suspend operations, a major escalation of its efforts to tighten control over civil society.
The 54 groups affected include the country's most prominent rights organisation, Chapter Four, as well as charities, religious, environmental and electoral democracy groups. The shutdown was ordered "with immediate effect", the National Bureau for NGOs, part of the ministry of internal affairs, said in a statement. It said the groups had failed to comply with legislation covering their activities, including operating with expired permits, not filing accounts or not registering with the authorities. Some of the organisations ordered to close had taken part in an election monitoring operation on polling day in January which was raided by security forces and during which several of their leaders were arrested.
The hotly disputed poll saw President Yoweri Museveni returned for a sixth term in office after a violent campaign marked by the harassment and arrest of opposition figures, attacks on the media and the deaths of several dozen people. Chapter Four executive director Nicholas Opiyo confirmed his group had received the government's order to close. "We've always acted above board & repudiate any representation of unlawful conduct on our part," he tweeted, describing the situation as a "misunderstanding". Responding to the shutdown on Twitter, the European Union in Uganda underlined the importance of civil society in the country.
Taliban co-founder reaches Kabul
Covid-19: Sri Lanka announces 10-day nationwide quarantine curfew
Israeli Prime Minster Naftali Bennett receives 3rd dose of Covid vaccine
