The Protection of Sovereignty Bill 2026 is a law that was formally proposed and tabled in the Ugandan Parliament on April 15, 2026. State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen. David Muhoozi tabled the bill during a parliamentary sitting backed by the ruling National Resistance Movement (party in power) caucus. The proposed bill seeks to shield national sovereignty from foreign interference by strictly regulating foreign funding and influence.
The bill says that anyone, including individuals, NGOs, churches, charities, or organizations, that gets money from outside the country (even from Ugandans living abroad) must register as a “foreign agent,” report their funds within 14 days, and get approval from a minister. It also makes it illegal to oppose government policies or participate in political activities using outside money, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison or large fines.
Civil society groups in Uganda are demanding the government to withdraw the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 since the bill would severely undermine the enabling environment for civil society in the country, where the majority of NGOs are dependent on foreign funding. The bill also risks funding caps, bureaucratic hurdles, stigmatization as “foreign agents,” program shutdowns, and reduced operations in health, education, human rights, and governance, shrinking civic space, stifling advocacy, and weakening independent oversight of government. The proposed law is designed to shrink civic space and limit the independence of organizations that rely on foreign funding to operate optimally.