MAKING CONTRIBUTION TO THE NGO POLICY REVIEW IN THE KIGEZI SUB REGION

NGOs are now directly under the MIA after the Rationalization and NGO Bureau is a department under MIA.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) was conducted in the period between July to December 2023 leading to Review of Several NGO and Company Policies. NGO Act Cap 109 (Amended in 2014) – No longer NGO Act 2016. All NGOs are Mandated to Incorporate with URSB and also Register with PDPO and other compliance requirements.

A one-day conversation organised by LOSCO in partnership with UNNGOF and NGO Bureau raised among others the need to Protect local NGOs from foreign competition.

Over time foreign NGOs have started local entities in Uganda so as to reflect like they are local entities. Some of the foreign entities have gone ahead to appoint local boards and local managers to look like they are local organizations. This helps them compete for donor funds, especially where donors insist that the applicants be limited to Ugandan NGOs. This tends to give unfair competition for Ugandan NGOs.

There are also foreign organizations that come into Uganda as donors and start direct implementation, and compete with local organizations. Others bid with Ugandan NGOs to get grants, and immediately after the grants are received, Ugandan NGOs are removed, and a bulk of the funds end up being spent on the administration of foreigners.

Recommendation: redefine foreign organizations to include their locally incorporated or locally registered entities.

Require entities that come to Uganda as donors to first get clearance before they can engage in direct implementation, and such direct implementation should have a 50:50 share with Ugandan agencies.