16-year-old seeks legislation on CBOs state funding

Martin Luther Nyanzi, aged 16, has petitioned Parliament seeking to enact a law on state financing of community-based organizations (CBOs).

Nyanzi told New Vision that his bid to secure direct state financing of CBOs and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is informed by the fact that these grassroot entities are pivotal in alleviating communities from tenets of poverty, disease and other afflictions.

"They are outstanding in bolstering governmental efforts in areas such as education, healthcare, and community development," Nyanzi said.

Nyanzi, a student at Kisozi High School in Buddo in Wakiso district, is currently in the legacy and social media spotlight as a budding entrepreneur.

He is the founder of APEX Media Services; a local organisation tailored at enhancing digital skills among youth and children in Kampala.

Nyanzi argues that these non-state organisations should not be left to malfunction after donor funding, which was mainly through the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which are no more because they are critical partners with the government on its development framework.

The aid pullout severely undermined the operational capacity of many organisations, leading to scaled down in operations while others had to collapse their functions, resulting in glaring gaps in service delivery lines, mostly in marginalised communities.
Nyanzi believes that government allocation of resources to these CBOs would breathe life into the sector.

As a stopgap to the lost foreign aid, the CBOs and NGOs have incorporated into their sustainability local fundraising, donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants, limitations notwithstanding.

According to Nyanzi, his proposal has already been handed over to the office of the Clerk to Parliament.  

He added that he has already engaged the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa and secured support from legislators such as Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola, the Member of Parliament for Kawempe North, who has expressed willingness to present the petition as a private member's bill in the 12th Parliament.

“We are looking forward to the formation of the 12th Parliament, where we anticipate debating and enacting this bill to ensure financial backing for local NGOs and CBOs,” Nyanzi stated.

Nalukoola cited the proposal's innovative nature but stressed that careful examination of the existing regulatory framework for NGOs will be necessary.

In Uganda, the registration of CBOs occurs at the district level through District NGO Monitoring Committees, based on recommendations from Sub-County NGO Monitoring Committees.

The registration process involves submitting a formal application letter, a registered constitution, a comprehensive work plan and budget, alongside proof of registration fee payments.

Organisations with expired permits face penalties, including fines equivalent to 10 currency points (sh200,000) for each month of unauthorised operation.

About Martin Luther Nyanzi

Nyanzi was born December 5, 2009, in Kampala to Simon Ssekaayi and Joan Vumilia. Nyanzi has emerged as one of Uganda’s youngest media entrepreneurs.

After completing his primary education at MK International School in 2023, he enrolled at Kisozi High School for his O-Level studies.

Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of APEX Media Services, he also oversees Apex Digital Skills, a training initiative focused on youth digital literacy.

His entrepreneurial endeavours reportedly employ over 55 staff members, including an executive board consisting of his mother and an investor.