NRM caucus backs bill to block foreign cash in politics

Kampala, Uganda | URN | The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus has thrown its full weight behind the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2025, pledging to fast-track its passage once tabled in Parliament.

The move, announced after a closed-door meeting at State House Entebbe on Friday, March 27, 2026, frames the legislation as a critical shield for Uganda’s national interests and institutional independence amid growing concerns over external funding and influence.

Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, who briefed the press at Parliament following the session chaired by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, said the caucus viewed the Bill as vital “to ensure that funds entering Uganda don’t harm her sovereignty.”

A section of MPs indicates the legislation targets stricter regulation of foreign funding to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Key provisions reportedly include mandatory disclosure of all foreign funds, source, amount, and purpose, within 14 days of receipt, ministerial powers to cap the proportion of foreign funding, and an outright ban on funds aimed at influencing political processes, elections, or undermining national sovereignty.

The Bill builds on Uganda’s constitutional framework, particularly Article 1 of the 1995 Constitution, which declares that “all power belongs to the people” and vests sovereignty in them, and Article 2, which affirms the supremacy of the Constitution.

It also aligns with earlier regulatory efforts under the Non-Governmental Organisations Act (Cap. 113, as amended), which already requires NGO registration and oversight by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In the same meeting, the caucus unanimously endorsed the government’s priority areas for the FY 2026/2027 national budget, signalling alignment ahead of the full Appropriation Bill expected later this year.

Priorities include sustained investment in peace and security; expansion of roads, electricity, and railway infrastructure; preparations for Uganda’s co-hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania; promotion of scientific innovations to drive socio-economic transformation; livestock restocking programmes in the Teso, Lango, and Acholi sub-regions; and salary enhancements for primary school teachers, secondary school arts teachers, Technical Vocational Education and Training – TVET instructors, and security personnel.

President Museveni, in a public statement following the caucus, captured the dual focus.

“We agreed to prioritize peace and security, roads, electricity, the railway, scientific innovation, preparations for AFCON 2027, restocking in Teso, Lango, and Acholi, and salary enhancement for teachers, TVET staff, and security personnel to support Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and safeguard our national interests.”

The resolutions come as Uganda prepares its FY 2026/27 budget, which will be guided by the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 (as amended).

These priorities reflect longstanding NRM policy pillars, infrastructure-led growth, regional equity in post-conflict northern and eastern areas, human capital development, and national security, while addressing emerging challenges such as climate-resilient agriculture (via restocking) and regional integration through AFCON infrastructure.

Uganda’s reliance on donor support (historically over 30 percent of the budget in some years) has long sparked debate about foreign influence.

The proposed Bill echoes continental conversations, including the May 2025 African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family and Sovereignty hosted in Entebbe, which emphasised resisting “external ideological pressure.”

While the NRM, which commands a parliamentary majority, is expected to steer the Bill through, it has already drawn pushback from civil society groups.

Critics argue that expanded controls on foreign funding could hamper legitimate NGO work in health, education, and governance, potentially stifling civic space.

The legislation remains at the proposal stage and will face committee scrutiny, public hearings, and debate before becoming law.

According to Obua, the caucus reaffirmed its commitment to “strengthening service delivery, protecting national sovereignty, and sustaining Uganda’s development trajectory,” positioning the twin agenda as a unified roadmap for the coming financial year.