Kampala, Uganda — Civil society organisations in Uganda are calling on the government to lift suspensions on at least 10 major NGOs and unfreeze their bank accounts, which have been frozen since early January 2026.
The demands were made on Monday during a press conference organised under the hashtag #CivicSpaceUG by groups including the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG).
The actions, tied to the NGO Amendment Act 2024, halted operations in sectors such as health, education, and human rights just before the January 15 elections, with officials citing expired permits and security concerns.
Human rights activist and executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), Sarah Bireete, questioned the legitimacy of decisions from a now-dissolved government bureau.
“FIA should produce the details of transactions that have caused them to freeze NGO accounts,” she said. “FIA should mention which organisation has 70 billion in Uganda because it is not possible; it is fake news. Some state agencies are looking for operational budgets because of corruption, others are buying lies for promotions.”
The Uganda Law Society has since taken the issue to the East African Court of Justice, warning that prolonged restrictions could trigger economic fallout and erode public trust in governance.
Leaders from CCG and other civil society organisations also called for constructive engagement with government, saying, “The government should be open to partnership with CSOs in pursuit of a shared national development vision. The defamatory rhetoric should be stopped, and a thriving civil society should be recognised as a shield for the citizen, not a threat to the state.”
Civil society groups argue that the suspensions have significantly disrupted operations, undermined service delivery, and weakened civic engagement across the country.
