Legislators are divided over the proposed NGO Funding Bill, with several Members of Parliament raising concerns about its practicality and potential impact on Uganda’s national budget.
Paulson Lutamaguzi Ssemakula, MP for Nakaseke South is one of the strongest critics of the proposal.
He argues that the financing of non-governmental organisations contradicts the original purpose for which NGOs were established.
Lutamaguzi maintained that NGOs are typically founded by independent actors to fill gaps in service delivery where government institutions may be overstretched.
He questioned whether the state can sustainably fund such organisations at a time when sectors like healthcare, education, roads, and others continue to face financial constraints.
National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy Secretary General Aisha Kabanda offered an alternative perspective, suggesting that the idea could be reconsidered if it focused on Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) instead.
Kabanda argued that CBOs operate on a smaller scale within local communities and may require limited financial support compared to large NGOs that run extensive programmes and demand significant budgets.
The proposed Non-Governmental Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in Uganda seeks to tighten government control over NGO funding and operations as part of a wider nationalisation of government agencies.
Political observers say the emerging divisions reflect broader questions about the role of civil society in national development and the sustainability of government expenditure.
As discussions continue, analysts expect the proposal to face intense scrutiny from both lawmakers and civil society actors before any formal legislative steps are taken.
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