Uganda bans thousands of charities in crackdown

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Uganda’s government has told more than 12,000 charities that they can no longer operate in the country.

Following a review that took place in August and September, the number of officially registered NGOs in Uganda has been slashed from 14,207 to 2,118. Little more than 2,000 NGOs managed to renew their licenses, meaning 73 percent of aid organisations are no longer allowed to operate.

Uganda bans 73% of NGOs

Of the 2,118 NGOs that were able to renew their licenses, the vast majority are foreign organisations. Likewise, the vast majority of those that were unable to do so were operated by Ugandans. Critics argue the crackdown is an attack against Ugandan organisations that stand for values the government doesn’t support.

Uganda’s minister of internal affairs, Jeje Odongo, said in s statement last week that all organisations not included in the new register must cease operations immediately.

This includes a number of organisations campaigning for LGBT rights at a time when some MPs in Uganda are attempting to retable a bill that would make homosexual acts punishable by death.

Featured image: Africom

About Aaron Brooks

Aaron Brooks is a UK journalist who wants to cut out the international agendas in news. Spending his early years in both England and Northern Ireland he saw the difference between reality and media coverage at an early age. After graduating from the University of Chester with a BA in journalism, his travels revealed just how large the gap between news and the real world can be. As Editor-in-Chief at East Africa Monitor, it’s his job to provide a balanced view of what’s going on in the region for English-speaking audiences.