Daily Monitor
Saturday February 06 2021
Head of the EU Delegation to Uganda Attilio Pacific (front left) and other EU diplomats meet former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine (front right), at Mr Kyagulanyi’s home in Magere, Wakiso District on Thursday. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
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President Museveni’s letter dated January 2, in which he suspended the operations of the European donor-funded Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) project, appears to be just a continuation of a sustained effort to clamp down on inflow of foreign funding to activities that the ruling establishment suspects could subvert its hold on power.
Before the decision to suspend the €100m (about Shs440b) DGF project, the government had come down hard on some civil society and other organisations, and even individuals who had received money into their accounts around the last quarter of last year.
This week, President Museveni suspended the operations of Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), which is a principal funder of about 74 civil society organizations across the country citing subversion and its structure which is exclusively foreign headed.
The President also ordered the Inspector General of Government (IGG), police and State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate how the Ministry of Finance authorised the multi billion dollar fund group to operate in Uganda without involving him or cabinet well knowing the consequences it creates.
The Action Aid country Director Xavier Ejoyi says they were informed by DGF to continue implementing their funded projects.
Ejoyi meanwhile says government needs to appreciate the work of this funding group and civil society groups.
Daily Monitor
Friday February 05 2021
Summary
On January 2, Mr Museveni wrote to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija inquiring how government started working with DGF and ordered the immediate suspension of activities of the donor agency.
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The MPs argued that the suspension will affect both government and civil society organisations (CSOs).
On January 2, Mr Museveni wrote to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija inquiring how government started working with DGF and ordered the immediate suspension of activities of the donor agency.
The President also directed police, the Inspectorate of Government and State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate how Ministry of Finance authorised DGF to operate in Uganda.
The Democratic Governance Facility, DGF was on the orders of Museveni suspended for among others subverting government programmes and its questioned structure which is exclusively foreign headed.
Speaking to Kfm, the Executive Director of the Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda Cissy Kagaba says there is no way government will be able to fight corruption if it is closing the civic space of Civil society organizations.
Kagaba says they will not be able to do research and carry out sensitization campaigns about corruption like they use to do and yet government will walk away scot free since there is no one to do the checks and balances.