Ugandan NGO suspensions deepen civil society crisis
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Pmldaily
The suspension of several Ugandan NGOs is leading to job losses and increasing compliance costs for organisations still operating. Yona Wanjala, executive director of Civic Advisory Hub, described a climate of fear linked to accusations of activities harmful to national security, according to Pmldaily.
The suspension of several non-governmental organisations has heightened concern in Uganda’s civil society sector, where small organisations are already struggling to fund their administrative obligations. Yona Wanjala, executive director of Civic Advisory Hub, said on Friday that some organisations had laid off staff and stopped operating, at the NGO Risk, Compliance & Resilience 2026 conference in Kampala.
The suspensions have caused a wave of fear among organisations still operating, particularly because the reasons given to the affected organisations reportedly refer to activities harmful to national security. Wanjala called for fair and transparent procedures, as well as an opportunity for the organisations concerned to respond to the allegations, according to Pmldaily.
NGOs must comply, among other things, with rules on employment, taxation, financial reporting, anti-money laundering and data protection. Wanjala stressed that the problem did not lie in these obligations, but in the lack of financial and human resources available to small organisations to recruit compliance officers, establish internal controls and organise regular audits.
