Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has enacted a controversial law aimed at limiting foreign influence, following amendments by parliament that softened provisions previously criticised by financial institutions for potentially affecting remittances and development activities.
The bill makes it a criminal offence to promote the “interests of a foreigner against the interests of Uganda” and prohibits individuals acting on behalf of foreign interests from developing or implementing policies without prior government approval.
Rights organisations argue that the wording is overly broad and could enable authorities to criminalise a wide range of political dissent. The government, however, has dismissed these concerns, accusing critics of overstating the bill’s implications.
Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, has frequently criticised external influence in Uganda, accusing local political opponents of being financed from abroad.
His office announced on Sunday that he had signed the “Protection of Sovereignty” bill, which was passed by parliament on May 5. The law imposes penalties of up to 10 years in prison and significant fines for violations.
The final version of the legislation was revised to ease several earlier clauses that had drawn concern from economic institutions.
One that required any Ugandan receiving money from abroad to register as a foreign agent and disclose incoming funds was amended to apply only to people receiving funds for political purposes that advance foreign interests.
Remittances from Ugandans living abroad remain a key source of foreign exchange for the East African nation.
Central Bank Governor Michael Atingi-Ego cautioned last month that the law could reduce financial inflows into Uganda and threaten foreign exchange reserves, describing the potential outcome as an “economic disaster for our country”.
The World Bank had also raised concerns about the earlier proposal, warning that it could make a wide range of “routine development activities” subject to criminal liability.
Neither the Central Bank nor the World Bank has issued any statement on the revisions made to the original
