This archive report was first published on 20 August 2021.
On August 20, 2021, the Ugandan government announced the suspension of 54 non-governmental organizations, a move that has sparked concerns over the country's growing restrictions on civil society.
Among the affected organizations is Chapter Four, the country's most prominent rights group, which has been at the forefront of advocating for human rights and good governance in Uganda.
The National Bureau for NGOs, part of the ministry of internal affairs, stated that the decision to suspend the organizations was made due to their failure to comply with legislation covering their activities, including operating with expired permits, failing to file accounts, or failing to register with the authorities.
Some of the organizations ordered to close had participated in an election monitoring operation on polling day in January, which was raided by security forces and resulted in the arrest of several leaders.
Chapter Four executive director Nicholas Opiyo confirmed that his group had received the government's order to close and described the situation as 'serious.'
Charity Ahimbisibwe, who leads the Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU), another of the shuttered organizations, described the government action as 'extremely unfortunate.'
Ahimbisibwe stated that the move came after the organization had received repeated summons to government offices since it released a report cataloging malpractice during the election.
