Civil Society Petitions Parliament Over Suspension of 10 NGOs, Questions Legality of Decision

What the report says

A coalition of civil society organisations has petitioned Uganda’s Parliament to review the suspension of 10 non-governmental organisations, saying the action may have been unlawful because the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations was not properly constituted at the time. According to Nile Post, the petition was submitted on Monday and asks lawmakers to examine the conduct of officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the NGO Bureau.

The affected groups include organisations working on governance, human rights, legal aid, civic education, election observation and related advocacy. The petition says the suspensions, issued on January 9, 2026, disrupted their work and should be lifted. It also questions whether the Executive Director or Commissioner had authority to act independently in suspending the NGOs.

At the centre of the dispute is the claim that reforms to the NGO law in 2024 left the Bureau without duly appointed and gazetted members, making its decisions open to challenge. The petition argues that indefinite suspension can amount to punishment without a lawful basis and may breach constitutional protections such as freedom of association and fair administrative action.

The petitioners want Parliament to investigate why the Bureau remains unconstituted, determine whether officials exceeded their legal powers, and consider steps to restore the organisations. It also asks for the ministry to formally set up the Bureau and for possible disciplinary or legal action if wrongdoing is found. More broadly, the case highlights wider concerns about oversight, administrative authority and civic space in Uganda.