The government has issued a ninety-days ultimatum to 7,213 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are yet to file their annual returns.
During the release of the Annual NGOs Sector Report 2020/21 at the KICC, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i noted that some non-state actors are increasingly becoming a major risk subject of money-laundering frameworks.
“We need to know that there are no people around who are being misused by terror organisations to masquerade as civil society organisations, but they are conduits for illicit funds and illicit sources that are going into radicalisation and recruitment for terrorism.
So, as we say, on one hand, that we will support you, we must also agree on the other that you also have to obey the law, and you must comply,” he said.
According to the report only 2,712 of the 11,890 NGOs established in Kenya have conformed with current regulations, while 2,468 have been deregistered and 25 have been disbanded.
128 NGOs were reactivated during the 2020/21 fiscal year after submitting the required documentation to the NGOs Coordination Board.
Matiang’i also warned against using partisan organisations as political tools in the 2019 general election, citing partisan organisations as one of the emerging challenges to democracy and elections.
The CS also warned that some persons and groups will seize every opportunity to use these organizations to advance political opportunism.
“Please guard against your institutions being misused to engage in destructive acts that will hurt the unity, the stability and security of our country.
Do not be dragged along into partisan activities in the name of civic education or enhancing participation in the electoral process.
We must do whatever we can to ensure that the electoral process is not a conduit through which the worst of our passions are expressed, and the worst of our paths and interests expressed to the detriment of the unity and stability of our country,” he said.
The CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enabling NGOs’ activities in the country, but stressed that the government will stay steadfast in its efforts to maintain and safeguard the sector’s integrity and transparency.
He also assured them of the highest level of protection and assistance in their operations, particularly for those engaged in various activities and initiatives strengthening democratic practice in the country.
“We will ensure that we’ll provide whatever security that you will need to ensure that you operate freely and do your work as we reach out to our people.
Whether you’re engaged in civic education, peace-building and non-violent participation in the democratic process, or promotion of responsible citizenship and participation in the political processes, we will work with you and support all the work that you do,” he said.
However, added that these groups must reciprocate with complete co-operation and align their operations with the country’s development plan and national security interests.
On the subject of spending, the CS challenged NGOs to examine their screening techniques for allocating and using donor funds on various initiatives and activities.
These institutions got Sh138 billion in the 2020/21 Financial Year alone, with 52 per cent of that going to recurring expenditure.
In this context, he asked the groups to infuse honesty, openness, and accountability to guarantee that their operations have the greatest possible good impact on Kenyan communities.
