The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation Against Torture, has raised serious concerns over the suspension of at least seven human rights non-governmental organisations in Uganda ahead of the country’s general elections. The affected organisations include Chapter Four Uganda, the Alliance for Election Finance Monitoring, the Human Rights Network for Journalists–Uganda, the National NGO Forum, the Center for Constitutional Governance, the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, and the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims.
On 9 January 2025, Uganda’s National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations, operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, suspended the operating permits of these organisations with immediate effect. The Bureau cited unspecified “intelligence information” and alleged that the activities of the organisations were prejudicial to Uganda’s security and laws, referencing provisions of the NGO Act. The suspension orders required all organisational activities to cease pending investigations, with enforcement support requested from the Inspector General of Police.
The directive also extended to the financial operations of the suspended organisations. Banks holding their accounts were instructed to freeze all transactions, effectively halting payments to staff and service providers and forcing the closure of offices. These measures have brought the operational capacity of the affected organisations to a complete standstill while investigations of an unspecified duration are carried out.
The Observatory warns that these actions raise serious concerns about the protection of freedom of association in Uganda, particularly in the context of the upcoming general elections scheduled for 15 January 2026. The suspensions are viewed as part of a broader pattern of repression during the pre-election period, which has included the imprisonment of opposition leaders, arrests of supporters, assaults on journalists, arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, and shutdowns of digital communications.
According to the Observatory, the cumulative impact of these restrictions risks undermining the credibility and legitimacy of the electoral process by preventing independent monitoring, civic participation, and critical scrutiny. The suspension of organisations involved in election observation, media freedom, and human rights protection is seen as incompatible with the conditions required for free and fair democratic competition.
The Observatory strongly condemns the suspension of the seven organisations, asserting that the measures appear aimed at punishing them for their human rights work and preventing them from expressing critical views during the election period. It has called on Ugandan authorities to immediately and unconditionally reverse the suspension orders and to uphold the right to freedom of association, as guaranteed under international human rights law and the Ugandan Constitution.
