KAMPALA —KAMPALA —The government, has through the National Bureau of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Ministry of Internal Affairs halted operations of 54 NGOs in Uganda, citing non compliance with the NGO Act.
Those closed include Nicholas Opiyo’s Chapter Four, a press freedom campaigner and Miria Matemb led the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU).
The Ministry of Internal affairs claims the Human rights and Election monitoring NGOs did not file annual returns and audited books of accounts.
Opiyo has confirmed Chapter Four has been notified about thw development and that they are working to solve the matter.
“The National Bureau for NGOs has notified us of the indefinite suspension of the permit of Chapter Four for what they term failure to file returns and disclosing our sources of funding. We are working with the authorities to clarify what we believe is a misunderstanding”, Mr. Opiyo said.
Nicholas Opiyo last year spent a week in prison, charged with money laundering after officials queried a $340,000 transfer into a bank account held by the rights group he leads.
His lawyers said was innocent, and his group, Chapter Four Uganda, called the charges frivolous.
Opiyo has represented pro-democracy activists, opposition figures and minority groups.
Critics of the government insist Opiyo is targeted because of his work tracking alleged rights abuses by security forces.
