The operations of the of Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which for the recent years has been advocating for the rights of journalists in Uganda especially those who enjoy doing investigative reporting has been placed under a huge danger in a move that is threatening media freedom of expression.
HRNJ is among the several NGOs which were suspended by President Museveni’s government through the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organization a body under the Ministry of Internal Affairs which is responsible to register, regulate, monitor, and coordinate all NGO operations in the country.
HRNJ has been acting as a bridge that coordinates government and media practitioners and a number of investigative journalists whose exclusive information has annoyed powerful individuals in private sector and in government have been rescued from prison through providing legal services and leading mediations.
According to government, the operations of the HRNJ and other suspended NGOs in the country were threatening the national security especially during the period of the January 2026 general elections.
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Ono Bwino understands that the move to suspend HRNJ was reached after intelligence allegedly gathered information which security commanders used to convince the President to allow the suspension of the NGO’s activities until the situation stabilises which is likely to be in 2027.
Highly placed security sources revealed to Ono Bwino that a lot of scrutiny is going to be deployed when lifting the suspension noting that over 90% of the suspended operational licenses of the NGOs will not be renewed and the most targeted ones are HRNJ, African Institute for investigative journalism (AIIJ), Chapter Four Uganda, Alliance for Election Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), Centre For Constitutional Governance, Agora Centre for Research.
Sources said that the President is only waiting for the recommendation of the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) to guide his decision but other intelligence agencies have already advised that the operations of the suspended organizations be stopped permanently.
According to their preliminary investigations, they allege that the affected NGOs have secret operations with known international organizations which harbor intentions of distabilising Museveni’s government and these are based in German, United States and European Union countries which are using Kenyan NGOs to coordinate with those operating in Uganda and this is done according to intelligence to avoid being traced.
Ono Bwino has learnt that intelligence is scared that bosses of the suspended NGOs are in touch with government officials to help them in fronting other individuals to register new organizations dumping those designated as anti-Museveni government and operating behind them especially on running the day-to-day activities.
Sources claim that such a tactic will help those NGO bosses to continue surviving on foreign funds and it is because of that reason that the government is planning to take over the funding and facilitating of all operations of NGOs in the country.
This website understands that the move to have government funding NGOs has been in the pipeline since 2022 and it is the reason why renewing an NGO license has been very difficult.
For example, Robert Ssempala the Executive Director at HRNJ went through a lot to renew his organization license as government accused him of using his organization to facilitate opposition activities especially those of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and their president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine).
Ssempala was placed on the wall to explain why he is always condemning security and government by exposing them internationally as people violating the rights of journalists who expose government dirt but when it comes to pro government journalists, he ignores them.
“They wanted a convincing explanation why he didn’t condemn Bobi Wine’s bodyguards who insulted journalists in Masaka during a burial. Instead, he used his own money to compensate their cameras and other equipment which were damaged during the scuffle, but shielded Bobi Wine and his men” a source said.
To have his license renewed, Ssempala according to sources assure the State that his organization will fight to make sure that a good relationship is created between the media and government agencies especially security and not act partially when executing his advocacy.
Solomon Sserwanja another celebrated journalist who is the executive director of the African Centre for Investigative Journalism is also moving on the intelligence radar because of the contacts he has in countries like German, United States and among decision makers in the European Union who facilitate his advocacy.
His distance from fellow founding deputy also celebrated investigative journalist Raymond Mujuni has also created a lot of suspicion among State operatives who are wondering what was he is hiding from his longtime friend in the journalism proffession.
It was because of that suspicion that Museveni was involved as security planned to arrest him and he put the operation on hold as he did his counter-intelligence.
He later discovered that the distance of the two was created by a hunger for money and power in their organization.
The tense environment created by the State has forced other NGOs which have not yet been suspended to operate like state organizations.
Sources close to Dr Livingstone Ssewanyana the Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative told Ono Bwino that he ordered his staff to be careful when dealing with issues concerning the interests of President Museveni and members of his family or commanders of security, heads of the judiciary and parliament.
“The man turned furious when he discovered that one of his staff was in discussion with other legal activists to challenge the appointment of Dr Flavian Zeija as the Chief Justice. He warned him of the trouble he was fetching for them,” a source said.
