DGF suspension to fail corruption fight, journalists, workers affected

By Ritah Kemigisa and Damali Mukhaye 

Anti corruption agencies have expressed fear that the fight against corruption and accountability are bound to go silent with the suspension of one of their biggest funders, DGF.

The Democratic Governance Facility, DGF was on the orders of Museveni suspended for among others subverting government programmes and its questioned structure which is exclusively foreign headed.

Speaking to Kfm, the Executive Director of the Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda Cissy Kagaba says there is no way government will be able to fight corruption if it is closing the  civic space of Civil society organizations.

Kagaba says they will not be able to do research and carry out sensitization campaigns about corruption like they use to do and yet government will walk away scot free since there is no one to do the checks and balances.

Robert Ssempala, the Executive Director of Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda adds that DGF has been funding a lot of our outreach programs to empower journalists in terms of their safety and security, doing community engagement on the role of the media, supporting journalists with psychosocial therapy, medication and relocation.

He also says that the suspension will also impact on the toll of workers who have been paid using grants from DGF.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna