The National Bureau for NGOs under the Ministry of Internal Affairs has halted the operations of 54 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) due to non-compliance with the NGO act.

In a statement released by Stephen Okello the Executive Director of the National Bureau of NGOs the organisations’ operations have been halted for working with expired permits, failing to file annual returns and audited books of account and operating without registering with the authorities.

According to the Bureau, 23 of the 54 NGOs have been operating with expired permits contrary to sections 31(1) and 32(1) of the NGO Act 2016. The statement further states that 15 NGOs have failed to file annual returns and audited books of accounts to the NGO Bureau contrary to section 39(2) and (3) of the NGO Act 2016 and have other non-compliance issues. Another 16 have been operating without registering with the NGO Bureau contrary to sections 29 (1 ), 31 (1) and 31 (2).

“The NGO Bureau would like to inform all NGOs and CBOs that only those registered, with valid permits and those compliant with submission of annual returns and audited books of accounts, will be allowed to operate,” the statement from the NGO Bureau reads.

Mr Okello has asked all stakeholders from the National, District and Sub-County levels to help in enforcing these decisions by ensuring that these affected organisations halt their operations with immediate effect.

The move comes months after the government suspended operations of the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) leading to Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the country halting their operations.

In that move, the most affected civil society organisation (CSOs) included those engaged in accountability, human rights and good governance, democracy, service delivery monitoring and capacity-building at the national, regional and grassroots level.

Below is the list of NGO’s whose operations have been halted by the NGO Bureau;

A. Halted the operations of the following NGOs operating with expired NGO permits;

1. Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO)
2. Western Ankole Civil Society Forum (WACSOF)
3. Citizens' Concerns Africa
4. Elohim Power Transforming Africa
5. Orone Foundation
6. Light Concepts
7. Public Policy Institute 1
8. Otubet Youth United Development Organization
9. Support Girl Child Uganda
10. Saints Preparation Ministries
11. Adoration Ministries
12.Islamic Da-awah and Orphanage Foundation
13. Jesus Shines Youth Ministries International
14.La Borne Missionary Centre Uganda
15. Wanyange Child Support Foundation
16.St. Francis Foundation for the Poor
17. Ray of Hope International Uganda
18. Mindset Change Development Organisation
19. Liberty International Foundation
20. Foundation for Women Empowerment for Sickler Aid
21. Karambi Action for Life Improvement
22. Tech Plus Love Foundation
23. Centre for Justice Studies and Innovations

B. Indefinitely suspended the following NGOs that have consistently failed to file annual returns and audited books of accounts and have other noncompliance issues.
1. Chapter Four Uganda 2016- 2020
2. Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) 2019- 2020
3. Femrite Uganda Women Writers' Association 2017- 2020
4. African Humanitarian Action 2017 - 2020
5. Safe Places Uganda Foundation (SPU) 2017- 2020
6. Citizens Platform for Democracy and Accountability 2017- 2020
7. Growth Networks Uganda 2017- 2020
8. Pallisa Civil Society Organisation Networks 2017- 2020
9. Citizens Election Watch-IT (CEW-I1) 2017, 2019, 2020 2
10. Youth Line Forum Uganda 2017- 2020
11. Arise Africa International 2018-2020
12.Dotwa Africa 2018-2020
13.Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence 2018-2020
14. Centre for Conflict Resolution 2019 - 2020
15. Youth Equality Centre 2019-2020

C. Halted the activities of NGOs operating without registering with the NGO Bureau.
1. Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies (GLISS)
2. Rural Action Community Based Organization
3. Uganda Help Florida
4. Centre for Sustainability Innovation and Research
5. Environmental Governance Institute Uganda
6. Graffen Organization, Butimba Uganda
7. Kwataniza Women's Organization
8. Twimukye Women's Organization
9. Witness Radio Uganda
10. Youth for Green Communities
11 . Self-worth Initiative
12. VZW Eight
13.Adepr Pentecostal International Church Uganda Ltd
14.Innovations for Democratic Engagement and Action (IDEA)
15. Network for Active Citizens
16. Leadership Square Africa