Kampala, Uganda — January 13, 2026
The National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO Bureau) has suspended the operations of several prominent civil society organisations just days before Uganda’s general election, triggering outrage from opposition leaders and human rights advocates.
Among the organisations served with suspension notices dated January 9, 2026 are Chapter Four Uganda and the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Uganda. In separate letters signed by the NGO Bureau’s secretary, the organisations are ordered to “cease all operations with immediate effect” pending investigations into alleged activities described as “prejudicial to the security and the laws of Uganda” under Section 42(d) of the NGO Act.
The notices state that the Bureau had received “intelligence information” accusing the organisations of actions contrary to national security, though no specific evidence was publicly disclosed. The Bureau says investigations will be concluded within a “reasonable time,” after which the organisations may be heard.
The suspensions come at a highly sensitive political moment, just two days before polling, when civil society groups traditionally play a key role in election observation, human rights monitoring, and media protection. The bureau is under the internal affairs ministry headed by Hon Kahinda Otafiire.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) strongly condemned the move, calling it an attack on democracy and accountability.
“Two days to the General Election, the criminal regime has shut down several leading civil society organisations including Chapter Four Uganda and the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders,” Kyagulanyi said in a statement. “The targeted organisations are those that have been loud against human rights violations or preparing to monitor the elections. Their real crime is refusing to sanitize Museveni’s brutal, corrupt and inept regime of blood and shame.”
Kyagulanyi further accused the government of deliberately targeting groups involved in election monitoring and media freedom, including those that track campaign financing and defend journalists.
“This is cowardice and impunity,” he said. “Uganda deserves a strong civil society that will do its work without intimidation.”
Human rights organisations warn that shutting down independent monitors ahead of voting undermines the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. The suspension of the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Uganda, which coordinates protection for activists nationwide, has raised particular alarm among defenders already operating under increasing pressure.
As of publication, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the NGO Bureau had not issued a public response to the criticism, and it remains unclear how long the investigations will take or whether additional organisations will be affected.
The developments add to growing concerns among local and international observers about the shrinking civic space in Uganda and the conditions under which the 2026 elections are being conducted.