Event Summary
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has temporarily paused its Strengthening Governance and Civil Society Programme (GCSP) activities in Uganda after the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and the National Planning Authority (NPA) requested a halt pending clearance from the Attorney General.
Security agencies raised allegations that GCSP funds were tied to subversive activities and violated national laws and presidential directives on foreign funding. This suspension comes amid rising political tensions ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The pause reflects a broader pattern of Ugandan government crackdowns on foreign-funded civil society and governance programs, especially before elections, as seen in 2021. It severely disrupts civil society organizations (CSOs) dependent on GCSP support—cutting off funding, technical assistance, and training—leading to halted programs, layoffs, and risks of deregistration under the NGO Act (2016).
The move is expected to a further deterioration of the enabling environment, heighten state control over foreign funding, and weaken democratic oversight, transparency, and advocacy—particularly for marginalized groups. Analysts warn this could institutionalize government dominance over civil society, echoing the 2021 Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) collapse that led to widespread NGO closures.