Overview
- The bill, introduced April 15, is now before parliamentary committees as the attorney general and the internal affairs minister defend it in hearings.
- Government officials say the measure targets political financing to curb outside influence and would apply to politicians, parties, and NGOs that defy its rules.
- The draft redefines a foreigner to include Ugandan citizens living abroad, a change critics say could force diaspora registration and slow remittances moving through banks.
- Provisions include funding caps of 400 million shillings a year without ministerial approval, broad registration and disclosure demands, and offenses carrying up to 20 years in prison with inspections allowed without a court order.
- The Uganda Bankers’ Association warns routine cross‑border transactions could trigger penalties, and several MPs question the rush and potential use of the bill against opposition groups.