The Protection of Sovereignty Act, 2026

The Bill was passed by Parliament and received Presidential assent on 17th May 2026, thereby becoming the Protection of Sovereignty Act, 2026 (the “Act”). The date of commencement of the Act is the date on which the Act is published in the Uganda Gazette.  Individuals and entities operating in Uganda across the NGO, private sector, media, academic, diplomatic, and faith-based sectors should treat commencement as imminent and implement preparatory compliance measures without delay.

This alert updates our earlier alert issued on the Bill and reflects the changes introduced between the Bill as tabled and the Act as assented to. The amendments represent material improvements from the Bill, while others introduce new or clarified obligations.

As enacted, the Act imposes criminal liability, mandatory registration, and foreign-funding restrictions on a broad range of organisations, individuals, and entities operating in Uganda. The penalties as enacted are lower than those proposed in the Bill, with the maximum term of imprisonment reduced from 20 years to 10 years and the maximum fine reduced from UGX 2 Billion to UGX 1 Billion for individuals. The Act retains: (a) a mandatory registration regime for any person acting as an “agent of a foreigner”; (b) criminal prohibitions on a wide range of activities associated with foreign funding and influence; (c) a declaration requirement for foreign financial support above UGX 400 million per year; (d) reporting and disclosure obligations; and (e) inspection and enforcement powers vested in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (the “Minister”).

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Should you require more information about this article, please do not hesitate to contact Moses Adriko or Alex Ntale.