Jeje Odongo – MinBane

A NGO Crackdown: 10,000 invalid by the NGO Bureau!

Today, the Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo dropped an list of certified and verified NON-Governmental Organizations in the Republic of Uganda. The whole list was dropped together with the Press Release. Also, a moment of presser, which addressed the same numbers and information.

Clearly, this is important, as there are plenty of folks now, who has to deliver, register and quickly get verified. If not, if the state take them to court and punish them for organizing illegal activity through an non-registered entity. They might get high fines, be incarcerated or if they continue to violate the law. The NGO and the felon will be fined with a huge sum every single day until it ceases to operate.

“However, upon verification of the 14,207 registered NGOs since 1989, as at 7th August 2019, it was noted that only 3,810 NGOs (27%) had valid permits while 10,397 (73%) had invalid permits” (Odongo, 13.11.2019).

“All NGOs which do not appear on the validated register should not operate. Stakeholders especially the District and Sub-county NGO Monitoring Committees, Financial Intelligence Authority, Uganda Police Force, Banks, Hotels and other actors should cross check the status of any NGO with the register on the website or with the NGO Bureau to ensure that such NGOs do not operate in any part of the country or transact with their institutions” (Odongo, 13.11.2019).

NGO Act (2016) 40 Offence and Penalties:

“(1) An organisation or a person commits an offence who-

(a) on being required to do so, fails or refuses to produce to the Bureau a certificate, permit, constitution, charter or other relevant document or information for the purpose of this act;

(b) knowingly gives false or incomplete information for the purpose of obtaining a permit or other requirement;

(c) operates contrary to the conditions or directions specified in its permit; or

(d) engages in activity that is prohibited by this ACT.

(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seventy two currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding fifteen currency points for each day during which the offence continues after conviction” (NGO Act, 2016).

This means the convicted fellow, who operates without lawful certification from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) could face fines up to 1,4m Shillings or USD$378, or 72 Currency Points (20,000 shillings). A daily fine could be 400k shillings or USD$108, which is a staggering amount of money.

Well, with that in mind. The NGO Bureau better expect that the Executive Directors or the General Secretaries of various of NGOs has to deliver more documentation and get the ability to get verified. To ensure the down-time and the suspension of activity won’t last to long. If not, they have to become local CBOs, which has other regulations and laws, where the local district and officials there verify and certify any organization. This is something the NGOs whose now illegally operating have to consider.

We can see by the list of organizations verified. It was plenty of national, lots of internationally bound and whose supported from the international community. The NGOs whose big enough and have the capacity was able to be verified by the NGO Bureau. The others whose too small or far from the capital have struggled to secure the certification to do so. The NGO Bureau should also ensure the education of the society and the civil society, which this entails. This is stopping the operation of possible 10,000 organizations. Who now have to do the whole ordeal to be legally operational. Because, if they follow the advice of the honourable minister, then they will cease to operate. But what they should do, if they are viable and working organizations. They would go out there tomorrow and seek documentation, follow the guidelines and work towards getting certified by the NGO Bureau.

That is it folks, but certainly many has maybe just few pieces missing. Others has more work to do. To prove and following the NGO Act of 2016. Whatever it might be, but it got to be something. Peace.

Aidah Nantaba MP: Withdrawal Form from Murder case (09.09.2019)

Opinion: Jeje Odongo and the NRM is afraid of Defiance!

Not that this is news, but last go-around in the General Election of 2016. The Authorities sealed off all activities of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and even barred it from entering its own headquarters. They even took a lot of printed materials and arrested several. Even put the defiant leader Dr. Kizza Besigye behind house-arrest for God-Knows how long without charges, warrants or a proper Court Order. This was all because of DEFIANCE.

Now, as the People’s Government and People Power Movement have joined forces to dismantle the regime. They are hurrified and need remedy. That is why the Minister of Internal Affairs Jeje Odongo have summoned all leaders of Security Organizations like ISO, UPF, UPDF, Veteran Affairs, Prisons and Attorney General to a meeting of the National Security Council discussing the matter of DEFIANCE.

This is very ironic that the NSC has to discuss this, seemingly they all are part of the Resistance or the Resistance Movement. It is such a special narrative, that keeps on giving. That the NRM are struggling to cope with the public or even especially the opposition openly being in defiance of them. They want to delegitimize the state and its activities, also block and boycott. That is what being defiant means. Certainly, this is hitting the strain, that the People Power and People’s Government have decided that this is the way. Not that its easy, but surely the State trying figure it out now.

This is a real spark and proving how powerful the acts are, especially if they are joined by all walks of life. If the public really riot, demonstrate and not caring about the tear-gas, road-blocks and the danger it causes, by assaulting the privilege and the armed regime. Because, by standing up it, it will cost, a lot and many will spend time behind bars. Even sadly loss of life, because the authorities of these regimes uses bullets to intimidate and make a point. The ones on the frontline will be touched, whether they like it or not.

So, if this DEFIANCE is real, it has to be materialized, into a collective effort. A journey of oppression, which in the end will hurt the authorities and the state. In a way, where they cannot return. That the NSC speaks of it, only proves the power of it. If it is really used as intended. Because, it doesn’t help if Bobi Wine or Besigye is defiant against the state alone, there need to be a uprising of epic proportions to shake society to its core. To make Bosco aka Jajja aka Museveni loose his cool. He has to see a revolution that will make him naked. Which will make the guns, the mambas, the tear-gas and all the things that keeps the balance out of order.

Until then, there will only be more bloodshed, more land-grabbing, more corrupt behaviour, not to talk about empty propaganda to make the Fountain of Honour look like Angel, while we know he is the devil. Peace.

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