Uganda Government Blocks Foreign Funding In Pre Election Crackdown – Billions From German Famous Boss Blocked

Ugandan authorities have blocked several foreign funding networks allegedly linked to Tassilo von Droste, a German national accused of covertly channeling money to opposition-aligned groups ahead of the 2026 general elections, according to senior government officials who spoke to Uwesa Media Boss.

Droste, who reportedly entered Uganda in 2023, was accused of operating under the Civil Society in Uganda Support Programme (CUSP), an initiative backed by the German government and other western countries.

Officials say the programme was used as a cover to funnel resources to “regime-change infrastructure,” coordinate digital propaganda, and mobilize anti-government networks disguised as civic actors.

It is also alleged that Droste helped revive the Advancing Governance and Accountability (AGA) initiative, described by investigators as a rebranded version of the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), which President Museveni shut down in 2021 after accusing it of funding parallel political structures and election unrest.

Clash

Activists have in the past criticised the government’s decision to block funding for NGOs, saying the organisations work to ensure that government actions are accountable and responsive to the needs of the community.

However, President Museveni insists the NGOs usually receive funding from the western communities to influence Uganda’s internal affairs.

“Uganda will not allow external forces to manipulate our internal political processes,” President Museveni said during last year’s State of the Nation Address, warning that “foreign interference threatens the country’s sovereignty and stability.”

Authorities say the alleged financing networks were quietly dismantled through a coordinated crackdown that disrupted inflows, froze NGO accounts, and tightened scrutiny on foreign-funded civil society operations.

Officials credit the move with contributing to the relatively peaceful start of the campaign season.

As of Thursday morning, efforts by ChimpReports to reach Tassilo von Droste for comment were still unsuccessful.

However, according to the German Embassy’s website, the Civil Society in Uganda Support Programme (CUSP) is officially described as an initiative aimed at strengthening Ugandan civil society organizations through “capacity development, organizational support, and promoting cooperation between civil society and governmental actors.”

“The programme focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of civil society’s contributions to policy processes and development initiatives across different sectors,” the embassy notes.

The embassy adds that CUSP is “co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the Federal Republic of Germany” and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of Germany’s Strengthening Governance and Civil Society Programme under the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Uganda’s Electoral Commission has since cleared eight presidential contenders, including Museveni and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine).

Police have described the campaigns as peaceful, though tensions have risen over Kyagulanyi’s repeated confrontations with law enforcement.

Officials said the disruption of the funding network marked “a pre-emptive strike to safeguard electoral integrity.”

“We have since expanded surveillance on NGOs and individuals suspected of coordinating with foreign backers to influence Uganda’s political landscape outside constitutional frameworks,” said a source at Ministry of Internal Affairs who preferred anonymity to speak freely.