KAMPALA – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered the Ministry of Finance, to shut down the activities of the £100 million (UGX500.8 billion) Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) over what he says is operating irregularly and financing subversive activities in Uganda.
In a 2nd January 2021 letter, an evidently angry Museveni, asked Finance minister Matia Kasaija, to explain how and why the Permanent Secretary, Keith Muhakanizi authorized the operations of DGF without the involvement of cabinet.
The Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) was initially established in July 2011 by eight Development Partners (DPs): Austria, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Union. It was initially a five-year governance programme aimed at “providing harmonised, coherent and well-coordinated support to state and non-state entities to strengthen democratisation, protect human rights, improve access to justice and enhance accountability in Uganda.
Some of the organisations funded by DGF, include: Advocates Coalition for development and environment (ACODE), African Leadership Institute, Akina Mama wa Afrika, Alliance for FIance Monitoring (ACFIM), Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders Initiative for Community Action on AIDS at the Local Level (AMICAALL). Others are: Centre for Basic Research, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), Centre for Women in Governance (CEWIGO), ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU), African Centre for Media Excellence, African Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC).
