By Spy Uganda
In a major escalation of pre-election tension, the Uganda National NGO Bureau has ordered five of the country’s most prominent human rights and election monitoring organizations to halt all operations immediately. The directive, issued just 48 hours before the general election, effectively silences the independent groups tasked with tracking campaign spending and protecting journalists.
The affected organizations—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—received identical letters citing investigations into activities alleged to be “prejudicial to national security.”
The crackdown extends beyond a simple work stoppage. The NGO Bureau has formally requested the Inspector General of Police to enforce the closures and instructed the Uganda Bankers Association to freeze the organizations’ accounts. This move prevents these groups from paying election observers or providing emergency legal aid to journalists during the voting period.
The Case of Dr. Sarah Bireete
The suspensions come as the civic community is already reeling from the detention of Dr. Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG). Dr. Bireete, a vocal critic of the Electoral Commission and a champion for election transparency, was arrested on December 30, 2025.
She has been charged with “unlawfully obtaining personal data” related to the national voters’ register—charges that rights groups like Amnesty International have labeled as “arbitrary.” Her bail hearing was set for January 21, ensuring she remains in Luzira Prison until after the elections are concluded.
This is not the first time these groups have been targeted. In 2021, the government suspended 54 NGOs under similar circumstances.
Critics argue that by disabling ACFIM, the state is attempting to hide the scale of commercialized politics, while the suspension of Chapter Four removes a critical legal shield for those facing political persecution.
While the government maintains that the move is a routine administrative and security-led investigation, the timing has drawn sharp condemnation. In a statement of solidarity, National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi described the actions as a “cowardly” attempt to sanitize a “regime of blood and shame.”
He urged citizens to view the ballot box as their primary tool for protest, calling on the public to “collectively reject any attempt to usurp the popular will.”
As polling stations prepare to open, the absence of these key watchdogs leaves a significant gap in independent oversight for what is already one of the most closely watched elections in the region.
