Uganda to Audit NGO Finances

Uganda has ordered non-governmental organisations in the country to submit their financial information including budgets and donor lists to the authorities. This has been met with criticism from rights groups as another attempt to silence dissent. The government of President Yoweri Museveni, has had long face off’s with NGOs and others of alleged and reported excesses including corruption, torture, illegal detentions and extra-judicial killings. Over the last year several government officials have been quoted in local media accusing Bobi Wine, a musician-turned-legislator who says he will seek the presidency at the next election, of being funded by unnamed foreign agents. Steven Okello, executive director of the state-run National Bureau for NGOs says that the organisation was undertaking a “verification and validation” exercise for all non-profits operating in the country and that this included filing of financial records. Uganda’s next presidential election is not due until early 2021 but Museveni, in power for 33 years, is widely expected to stand again. Livingstone Sewanyana, head of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), told Reuters the renewed government scrutiny of NGOs was a concern ahead of the election. “It could have an intimidating effect and also have an overall negative impact on civic oversight of the poll,” he said. This month a letter circulating on social media showed the head of the Financial Intelligence Authority, a government agency that tracks and combats money laundering, writing to a commercial bank requesting financial records of 13 pro-democracy NGOs including FHRI. The agency’s head, Sydney Asubo, did not reply to a Reuters call seeking comment, but Sewanyana told Reuters that FIA has confirmed to him they were seeking the information. The government was “introducing unnecessary, unrealistic bureaucratic burdens on NGOs,” said Sara Birete of the Centre for Constitutional Governance. In 2017, security personnel raided the offices of at least two pro-democracy NGOs including South Africa-based ActionAid, confiscating computers and other equipment, in a move critics said was likely connected to the charities’ opposition to legislation aimed at allowing Museveni to extend his rule.

Critics said that move was part of a growing campaign to suppress opposition to Museven