Why We Are Petitioning

The Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 is currently before Uganda's Parliament. While we support Uganda's right to protect itself from genuine foreign interference, this Bill goes much further than that, and if passed in its current form, it will devastate the organisations that care for Uganda's 2.3 million older persons.

What the Bill does: The Bill labels anyone receiving international development funding an "agent of a foreigner", a criminal category carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison. It would require every NGO staff member, board member, and community volunteer to individually register with the Department of Peace and Security. It caps foreign funding at roughly £88,000 per year without prior Ministerial approval. And it bans civil society from participating in government policy consultations without Cabinet permission first.

What this means in practice: Community health workers visiting older persons in their homes. Advocates fighting for older people's access to health insurance. Researchers documenting poverty among the elderly. All of them could face imprisonment simply for doing their jobs.

What we are asking: We are calling on the Joint Parliamentary Committee to amend this Bill so that it targets genuine political interference, not the nurses, volunteers, and advocates who serve Uganda's most vulnerable citizens.

Sign this petition to tell Parliament: protect Uganda's older persons, protect civil society.