KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the suspension of a multimillion-dollar fund supported by European nations that supports the work of local groups with a focus on democracy and good governance.
Museveni, who was re-elected last month in a disputed vote, in a letter to his finance minister accuses that money taken from the Democratic Governance Mechanism was “used to finance activities and organizations designed to subvert the government under the pretext of improving the governance. ”
Museveni said he was never consulted about the constitution of the fund with cash reserves of up to £ 100 million and “operated exclusively by a foreign mission” in the East African country.
“This is not the financing of a private company, but the financing of state and non-state actors to achieve the political objectives of funders in Uganda,” he wrote in the January 2 letter. He also ordered the suspension of funding activities until his office analyzes the matter and a new supervisory board with Ugandans is installed.
Patrick Ocailap, the deputy treasury secretary, told the Associated Press that the finance ministry “would handle the matter properly” after obtaining guidance from the finance minister, to whom the letter was addressed. Finance Minister Matia Kasaija declined to comment, saying he was not well.
Nicole Bjerler, head of the fund, did not immediately respond to questions sent by email. Nicolaj AH Petersen, the Danish ambassador, said in an email response that the fund’s board had not received any formal communication from the government, adding that, as development partners, “they remain open to dialogue with the government”.
The Democratic Governance Mechanism, or DGF, was launched in 2011 by Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the European Union as a five-year program to support government and non-government groups working to promote human rights. , deepen democracy and improve accountability. Renovated in 2018 and domiciled at the Danish embassy, the fund says it wants to see a country “where citizens are empowered to engage in democratic governance and the state defends citizens’ rights”.
The fund, which has operated in Uganda with full knowledge of the relevant authorities, has supported groups ranging from rights watchdogs to anti-corruption agencies, and even journalists doing investigative work have received funding. Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda praised the work done through the fund.
Museveni’s decision to stop the fund’s activities is likely to increase an ongoing dispute with outside groups, including development partners in the West, which he accuses of interfering in Uganda’s internal affairs. The allegations of foreign meddling against unidentified groups that Museveni accused of “arrogance” contributed to a charged atmosphere before last month’s presidential vote.
Museveni won the January 14 polls with 58% of the vote, while his closest rival, the singer and lawmaker known as Bobi Wine, had 35%, according to official results. Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, insists he won and said he will prove that the military was filling the polls, voting for people and keeping voters out of polling stations.
Allegations of widespread wrongdoing are contained in a legal petition filed this week that seeks to nullify Museveni’s victory and prevent him from running for office again. Museveni accuses Wine of being a foreign agent, which the opposition leader denies.
Museveni, who overcame all the legal challenges related to the vote he faced in the past, dismissed allegations of electoral fraud, calling the election “the most free from cheating” since independence from Britain in 1962.
Wine captured the imagination of many at home and abroad in its generation gap with Museveni. Wine, 38, called for the retirement of the 76-year-old president, a U.S. ally in regional security who came to power in 1986.
Uganda’s elections were marked by violence before polling day, as well as the shutdown of the Internet that remained in effect until four days after the vote. Social media sites remain restricted.
The United States and the European Union have expressed concern about the Uganda elections. Natalie E. Brown, the United States Ambassador, in a recent statement cited “deep and continuing concern about the extrajudicial detention of members of opposition political parties, the disappearance of several opposition supporters and continued restrictions” on the work of Wine’s party .