NGOs whose work has been affected by DGF suspension should send us detailed reports- Gov’t

The National Bureau of NGOs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs has asked different Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to file reports regarding the impact of the suspension of the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) on their activities.

According to a statement from the Executive Director National Bureau of NGOs Stephen Okello, the affected NGOs are invited to prepare their reports and remain calm to allow investigations.

“The NGO Bureau calls upon affected NGOs in particular and the sector at large to remain calm so as to give room for the relevant arms of government to investigate the matter and for the cabinet to deliberate on it and come up with recommendations as directed by the President,” the statement reads in part.

“The affected NGOs are called upon to organize themselves and prepare a report highlighting the nature, importance of the support they were receiving and the impact of the suspension of the DGF on their activities and avail such information to investigating authorities through appropriate channels so as to guide and inform cabinet in their deliberations,” the statement continues.

Following the suspension of DGF, NGOs issued a statement in which they claimed that Museveni wanted to divert the attention of the public from the “fraudulent electoral process”.

“We believe President Museveni is trying all manner of actions to divert Ugandan public and international community from one of the most fraudulent electoral processes which culminated into a disputed election on January 14,” Godber Tumushabe, the associate director of Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies told journalists during a press conference on Friday afternoon.

He noted that the people killed during the November 18 and 19 protests, the recent wave of abductions, and the shutdown of the internet before, during, and after the January 14 polls are some of the actions that the President wanted to cover by suspending the Democratic Governance Facility.

“We also believe that the suspension of DGF is consistent with the ongoing onslaught on civic organizing, attacks on independent media, and freedom of the internet. DGF is, therefore, a victim of the democratic reversals we are experiencing in the country.”

The Bureau has however warned NGOs to desist from making such disreputable statements as they could attract appropriate reprimand.

“The NGO Bureau calls upon the sector to accord the relevant authorities the opportunity to do their job,” the statement reads.

“The NGO Bureau further strongly cautions NGOs to desist from uttering and issuing disreputable statements as any continued action in this path will certainly attract appropriate reprimand,” the statement continues.