The Public Accounts Committee (PAC-Central Government) has questioned the legality of decisions taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs concerning operations of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) without a formally constituted oversight committee.
The committee noted that since the rationalisation of the NGO Bureau in 2024 which abolished the NGO Board, the ministry has failed to establish the adjudication committee.
The adjudication committee is charged with hearing complaints and appeals arising from decisions of the NGO Bureau, reviewing appeals against the refusal to register an NGO and considering disputes over renewal or suspension of NGO operating permits.
Committee Chairperson, Hon. Patrick Oshabe, said the prolonged delay had attracted complaints from NGOs, including allegations that the absence of the committee was being used to restrict their operations.
“I have received several complaints and a petition that you are using the absence of the committee to silence people in the NGO world,” Oshabe said during the meeting with Ministry of Internal Affairs on Wednesday, 23 September 2026.
Oshabe wondered whether some officials were deliberately delaying the process for personal gain, as alleged in a petition presented to the committee.
During the meeting, the Shadow Minister for Internal Affairs, Hon. Denes Sekabira (NUP, Katikamu County North) presented a petition from aggrieved citizens, questioning the legality of the ministry’s decisions regarding NGO’s operations in the absence of the committee.
“Whatever they are doing is illegal without the committee. What is difficult about the minister nominating the names and submitting them to the President for approval?” asked Ssekabira adding that the delay is simply deliberate.
MPs tasked the ministry to disclose officials currently managing operations of NGOs in the absence of the legally provided for Committee, which the ministry could not provide.
The Ministry’s Under Secretary, Dorothy Nsereko attributed the delay in constituting the committee to changes in the ministry’s political leadership which MPs said was a weak justification. She however assured MPs that the ministry plans to have the committee in place by the end of 2026.
During the same meeting, Hon. Allan Atugonza (NRM, Buliisa County) raised concern over the influx of undocumented immigrants into Uganda, noting that some migrants enter the country illegally, acquire National Identification Cards and subsequently participate in national elections.
The Ministry was also tasked to explain their refusal to issue passports to children of immigrants who are Ugandans, with rights to own property and having stayed in the country for long.
