Police explain NGOs offices raid

Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye . Photo/File

AGE LIMIT

Police say two NGOs may have involved themselves in subversive activities following yesterday's sporadic protests in several parts of the country.

Gulu, Lira, Bushenyi and Makerere University were rocked by protests, sparked by fears that a controversial bill that proposes the lifting of age limit was going to be tabled in Parliament.

In a statement released today, Police said Action Aid Uganda and Great Lakes Institute of Strategic Studies (GLISS) possibly received funding from foreign elements to facilitate the protests.

"…We received intelligence that these organisations had received funding to destablise the city and some parts of the country following the intended debate in parliament on age-limit," a statement signed by Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye said.

On Wednesday night police, both in plain clothes and uniforms, stormed the premises of the duo and searched their offices. Some staff of the NGOs were prevented from accessing or leaving the precincts of the NGOs located in Kampala.   

The act drew a barrage of condemnations from human right activists and both US embassy and EU released statement criticizing government for the act.

However, Kasingye has defended the act saying it was justified to forestall a possible destabilization of peace in the country. 

"According to the NGO act 2016, civil society and non-governmental organisations should not be partisan and must not operate beyond their mandate," the statement added.  "They must not be used by anyone who wishes to destablise the peace and security of Uganda."

Kasingye added that the police took some materials from NGOs and is analyzing it for possible criminal evidence against the named NGO.