Dr Matiang’i reverses the ban on NGOs

Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has directed NGO Cordination Board to reverse its decision to deregister the African Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) and Kenya Human Right Commission (KHRC).

He said the actions should be put on hold pending comprehensive and exhaustive engagement with the two bodies and other stakeholders on the various non-compliance issues raised by chief executive Fazul Mohammed.

Here is the letter in full:

“Dear Mr Mahamed,

I am in receipt of various concerns and petitions from a number of stakeholders on the de-registration and proposed investigations on the above organisations.

I have reflected on the petitions and concerns. I have further reviewed your correspondence with them. While the correspondence contain weighty legal non-compliance and regulatory issues on the said organisations, my view is that before conclusive and final action such as deregistration, comprehensive and exhaustive engagement need to happen.

This will include an opportunity for the organisations and any stake holders concerned to engage with NGOs Coordination Board and effectively address any outstanding non-compliance issues that have led to deregistration of two organisations.

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By copy of this letter, I direct the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to immediately form an inclusive and representative committee to work with NGOs Coordination Board to review the compliance status of the two organisations.

In the meantime, I direct that while this is happening you suspend any action on the organisations for up to 90 days to enable Principal Secretary’s Committee work with these organisations to meet the regulatory and compliance needs of the NGOs Coordination Board to avert any distraction of their activities.

Yours Sincerely, Fred Matiang’i,

PhD EGH AG Cabinet Secretary

The letter is copied to Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

The move came as police and Kenya Revenue Authority raided AfriCOG’s offices.

The firm, however, moved to court and secured orders stopping the authorities from interfering with its operations.