Civil society activists have condemned a decision by the government to suspend dozens of NGOs, calling it, ‘a deliberate attempt to shrink civic space in Uganda.’

Speaking to the media on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, at Eureka Place Hotel, lawyer Andrew Karamagi said that the low turnout at the meeting reflected the fear that had gripped the NGO community.

“People are afraid of being arrested or further prosecuted,” he stated.

Dr Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Governance, pointed out that there were many legal problems with the government’s actions.

According to Bireete, the NGO Bureau had been dissolved under the 2024 Amendment Act and had never been reconstituted. This meant that there were no authorities to suspend NGOs.

“When you mention the NGO Bureau, it is the former board members who do not exist. Legally, nobody qualifies to suspend NGOs in Uganda today,” Dr Bireete said.

Sarah Mukasa Kisembo, Deputy Director at Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa, pointed out that NGOs were filling critical gaps in healthcare, education, and governance that the government had left behind.

“We see ourselves not as terrorists or enemies of development, but bound by the constitution,” she noted.

Last week, under the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), many bank accounts were frozen for a period of more than five months.

The activists vowed to continue to fight for justice through both legal and moral channels.