CSOs in Karamoja call for operationalization of NGO Monitoring Committees
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the Karamoja sub-region are demanding for the operationalization of the District NGO Monitoring Committees.
The NGO Act, 2016 provides for the establishment of a District NGO Monitoring Committee in every district and sub-county to oversee the operations of NGOs and CBOs. However, CSOs have established that the NGO monitoring committees have not been operational ever since the NGO Act 2016 was enacted.
While speaking at the Karamoja regional reflection meeting on the NGO regulatory framework in Moroto in August 2023, Mr. Richard Omoding, the Executive Director of RIAMRIAM Civil Society Network – Karamoja said that they need the committees to be operationalized to not only monitor the organizations but also provide support as and when required.
Omoding noted that most of the districts in the region do not have functional NGO monitoring committees while others do not understand their roles.
He also observed that only Moroto district has a well-composed committee that is implementing its mandate and partners have always cooperated with the public officials.
He appealed to the National Bureau for NGOs to consider empowering the NGO monitoring committees at both the district and sub-county levels so that they are able to fulfill their mandate. Omoding further encouraged all the partners coming to the region to ensure that they have the physical address and the key documents required before signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the district to avoid disruptions.
Mr. Stephen Okello, the Executive Director of the NGO Bureau decried the low reading culture among the development partners to understand the policy implementation, a practice that is hampering compliance and ability to create impact since they cannot implement what they do not understand.
He appealed to all the development partners in the region to promote the principles of good governance and accountability arguing that it is not possible for the NGO sector to hold the government accountable when it’s still grappling with its own internal governance issues.
