Godber Wilson Tumushabe, a policy analyst and senior lecturer at Makerere Law School, said he was surprised after Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID detectives asked why research funds under his control were being used for politics.Tumushabe, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies -GLISS, was summoned by CID on 25th June 2026, to appear before the Kampala Metropolitan East CID regional offices at Jinja Road Police Division on 29th June 2026, to make a statement and answer questions related to alleged money laundering and illicit financial flows.
“You are required to report to the Regional CID offices, Kampala Metropolitan East, on Jinja Road, to provide information relating to the matter under investigation,” stated the summons. “This should include documented records supporting your organization’s operations, to Regional CID Officer, D/SP Naboth Kusiima,”
Tumushabe, an outspoken government critic, confirmed to Uganda Radio Network that he honored the summons and spent several hours at the Regional CID offices on Jinja Road, answering all questions and providing detailed records on GLISS’s operations and funding.
“They asked about our activities, funding sources, expenditure accountability, and outputs,” Tumushabe said. “But what was curious was the question on why we use organization funds for political work. I told them governance is part of our mandate. We conduct research on politics and governance, so we cannot skip that area.”
The Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies-GLISS is among several civil society organizations whose bank accounts were frozen in February 2026 following directives from the Financial Intelligence Authority-FIA.At the time, FIA Executive Director Samuel Wandera said the agency had acted within its mandate to halt suspicious financial transactions pending investigations.
Tumushabe said other civil society leaders have also received summons to appear before police detectives over the same allegations of money laundering and illicit financial flows. He said the government has been targeting them since 2017.
He said they stopped applying for donor-funded projects, but it is shocking that they are facing these accusations now, more than four years after they stopped receiving funding. “What is being done is weaponizing security agencies against citizens, which is very wrong for any government, especially against citizens engaging in legitimate civic and political activities.” Tumushabe said. “Why is this government is so frightened of its citizens? Civil society organizations are being harassed to stop the kind of work we do.”
Tumushabe also dismissed claims in security intelligence reports that some civil society organizations were shielding foreign interests to undermine and remove the government
Tumushabe said he has shared the information requested and will provide additional details if needed and is now waiting for the outcome of the investigations. He is among CSO leaders who have been summoned or have already appeared before investigators. These includes six officials of AGORA Centre for Research Ltd, who recorded statements in connection with investigations of alleged fraud and money laundering.Others summoned include Henry Otafiire, Godwin Toko, Haggai Matsiko, Patrick Murungi, and Agather Atuhaire. While some of the officials were expected to appear before investigators today, Atuhaire has been directed to report to the Kampala Metropolitan North Regional Police Headquarters in Kawempe on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
