The suspended Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) was allegedly sponsoring activities of the National Unity Platform (NUP), government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has said.
Opondo said that people should question how a party formed three months to elections was able to mobilize funds for their candidate’s nominations and run other activities, without seeking external support.
“A political group that was founded three months to elections, where do they get Shs3m for nominations, a party that claims youth are badly off and have no jobs or money, where did they get these finances?” Opondo claimed.
However, NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi dismissed the accusations of Opondo asking him to bring evidence.
“I am sure if you ask them for any proof, they do not have it. I will tell you the truth is that even most of our candidates did not get nominated because they had no money, but whatever government hears in rumors, they end up acting on it. This is how we shall miss many things as a country,” Ssenyonyi claimed.
He said most of their finances have been through Ugandans both here and in the diaspora, dispelling rumors that DGF was one of their sponsors.
President Yoweri Museveni directed the immediate suspension of the activities of the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), the largest pool of donor funding to non-governmental organizations in Uganda over what has been termed as financing of subversive activities.
In a January 2, 2021 letter, Museveni says he needs answers as to why and how the Ministry of Finance authorized a £100 million (shs500.8 billion) fund to operate illegally in the country without the involvement of the cabinet.
“It has come to my attention that the Ministry of Finance under the hand of the Permanent Secretary, irregularly and unilaterally authorized a £100 million fund, known as the Democratic Governance Facility, to be operated exclusively by a foreign mission in Uganda. Unlike prior grant arrangements like the Democratic Governance and Accountability project in which there were transparency and representations the Government of Uganda has no say or oversight on how the Democratic Governance Facility is administered in Uganda,” Museveni says in the letter to Minister Kasaija.
Revealed: List of NGOs likely to be affected by suspension of DGF
The visibly angry Museveni says in the letter that he has learned that a big percentage of the shs500.8 billion went into financing activities and organizations meant to subvert government “in the name of the improving governance.”
The President insists this is unacceptable and the people responsible must account for the same.
According to the President, it is still baffling how the fund under the hand of the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Keith Muhakanizi was allowed to operate despite not fulfilling all the required conditions.
