Addis Ababa, August 21, 2021(Walta) – Uganda suspended the operations of 54 non-governmental organizations last Friday.
The suspensions were ordered for a range of reasons, including non-compliance with regulations that require NGOs and other groups not to be involved in politics.
“We have halted their operations,” Steve Okello, the chairman of the NGO Board, the state-run body that oversees all charities in the country, told Reuters.
The NGOs affected include charities whose work defending the rights of political activists and people affected by a crude oil production project in western Uganda has irritated some government officials.
President Yoweri Museveni’s government has for several years been increasing pressure on NGOs, accusing some of them of backing the opposition.
Uganda’s action is the latest action against the so called NGOs following Cameroon and Ethiopia who have suspended one and three NGOS recently, respectively.