The National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO Bureau) has suspended the operating permit of the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Uganda (NCHRD-U), ordering the organisation to immediately cease all activities pending investigations into alleged violations of the law.
In a letter dated January 9, 2026, the NGO Bureau said it had received intelligence information indicating that NCHRD-U was engaged in activities considered prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda, contrary to Section 42(d) of the NGO Act, Cap 109 (as amended).
The Bureau stated that due to the sensitivity of the allegations and their implications for national security, the organisation must halt operations until investigations are concluded.
The regulator, which operates under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said investigations have already been instituted and will be completed within a reasonable time, adding that the organisation will be given an opportunity to be heard during the process. The letter explicitly directs NCHRD-U to cease all operations with immediate effect.
The suspension of NCHRD-U is part of clampdown on civil society organisations in the run-up to Uganda’s January 15, 2026 general elections, raising concerns among rights advocates about the shrinking civic space during a critical political period.
In the same period, the NGO Bureau has also suspended the operating permit of Chapter Four Uganda, a prominent human rights and legal aid organisation, citing similar allegations of engagement in activities deemed prejudicial to national security. Authorities ordered the organisation to halt all operations immediately as investigations commence.
Other civil society organisations affected by the ongoing suspensions include African Center for Media Excellence.
Via X (formerly Twitter), Peter Mwesigwa, the co-founder of the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), said the organisation he helped establish 15 years ago has joined the growing list of Ugandan non-governmental organisations suspended by the National Bureau for NGOs over allegations of engaging in activities prejudicial to the security and the laws of Uganda.
Mwesigwa said ACME was founded to champion media excellence, accountability, and professional journalism, and has consistently worked to strengthen independent reporting in the country.
He described the suspension is an effort to silence scrutiny of public affairs as Uganda heads into the general elections, warning that the move comes at a critical moment for the country.
Mwesigwa said the independent media must now rise to the occasion by providing accurate and credible information about the electoral process, monitoring the use of official power, and facilitating informed public debate, noting that these principles have always been central to ACME’s mission.
Ahead of the 2021 general elections, government authorities suspended these non-governmental organisations, particularly those working in governance, human rights, accountability and election observation.
At the time, the suspensions were justified on grounds of regulatory non-compliance and alleged unlawful activities, although several organisations later challenged the decisions in court, with some rulings faulting the indefinite nature of the closures.
The NGO Bureau maintains that the suspensions are administrative and lawful, insisting that all affected organisations will be allowed to respond to the allegations as investigations proceed.
