Solidarity Uganda expresses great concern over the reported decision by the NGO Bureau to suspend the operations of several leading civil society organizations in the final days ahead of Uganda’s 15 January 2026 general elections. Affected organizations include Chapter Four Uganda, the Alliance for Election Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), the Human Rights Network for Journalists–Uganda (HRNJ-U), the National NGO Forum, and the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders. They have been directed to halt operations pending investigations, and parallel requests have been made to financial institutions to freeze transactions.
We stand in solidarity with these organizations, their staff, partners, and, most importantly, the communities they serve. These institutions have long contributed to the public good through civic education, election integrity work, human rights documentation, legal and protection referrals, and support to journalists and human rights defenders. Shutting them down in an electoral period harms citizens first: it constrains access to information, narrows nonviolent pathways for addressing grievances, and chills legitimate public-interest work when it is most needed.
We are equally concerned by the continued incarceration of Dr. Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), who was arrested on 30 December 2025, charged, and remanded to Luzira as her bail hearing was adjourned to 21 January 2026. Her case, alongside the NGO suspensions, reinforces a troubling message to civic actors during an election period: that scrutiny, monitoring, and citizen-facing accountability work may be treated as a security threat rather than a democratic necessity.
Solidarity Uganda emphasizes these three principles:
- Civic space is central to election credibility. A free and fair electoral environment requires the protection of freedom of association, expression, and peaceful assembly, including the work of independent civil society organizations and human rights defenders.
- Due process and proportionality are non-negotiable. Any regulatory action must be lawful, transparent, time-bound, and proportionate, with clear written reasons and a meaningful opportunity to be heard, especially during an electoral season.
- Communities bear the cost of clampdowns. When organizations that support citizens in accessing information, ensuring safety, providing legal referrals, and facilitating peaceful participation are abruptly restricted, it is ordinary Ugandans who lose their protection and voice.
We therefore call on the NGO Bureau and relevant authorities to:
- Immediately lift blanket operational suspensions and financial freezes, and pursue any concerns through clear, transparent, and time-bound procedures that respect due process.
- Ensure the safety of civil society actors, journalists, and community organizers, and refrain from actions that intimidate or unlawfully restrict peaceful participation.
To communities across Uganda: elections should be a moment of public choice, not public fear. Your struggles for land, livelihoods, dignity, and safety are political realities, and you have a right to organize peacefully, speak freely, and demand accountability.
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