Friday 30th July, 2021                             

The National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO Bureau) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs is mandated to register, regulate, monitor, inspect, coordinate and oversee all NGO activities in the country.

The NGO Bureau while exercising its mandate on the 29th   day of October 2020 halted the operations of the National Election Watch-Uganda (NEW-U), a loose coalition of over 60 organisations on grounds that they were operating in Uganda without any form of incorporation, registration and permission to operate under the relevant laws. Subsequently, Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), a member of NEW-U, instituted a court case against the NGO Bureau challenging its decision.

On the 30th   day of July 2021, the High Court of Uganda dismissed the case on the following grounds: 

1. The NGO Bureau was legally right to halt the operations of NEW-U under the circumstances.
2. The NGO Bureau gave NEW-U sufficient and adequate opportunities to be heard.

The NGO Bureau calls upon all NGOs operating in the country to do so within the ambit of the law by ensuring that they are fully incorporated, registered and are operating with a valid NGO permit from the NGO Bureau.

                                                                    FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

Okello Stephen

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR