Officials of banned NGO to face criminal charges

Officials of Haki Africa, a Mombasa-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) that was banned by the State last month, will face criminal charges for operating an unregistered outfit.

The officials are today set to hold a meeting with the state over the matter. Fazul Mahamed, the executive director of the NGOs Co-ordination Board, yesterday said that Haki Africa was operating illegally.

“We have summoned them to our offices tomorrow (Wedenesday) to warn them to cease all forms of operation until they get a certificate of registration,” said Mr Mahamed at a media briefing.

Haki Africa’s operations were banned alongside those of Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri) and the Agency for Peace and Development after they were accused of operating outside the law and financing terrorism.

An attempt to stop Haki Africa’s funding failed last month when the Norwegian government, their financier, said it did not have evidence that the organisation was involved in any illegal activity.

Tackling terrorism

The Foreign Affairs ministry had on May 12 written protest letters to the US, UK and Norwegian governments asking them to stop funding the organisation; whose activities, according to government, “constitute a serious threat to national security and jeopardise the government’s efforts in tackling terrorism.”

Mr Mahamed said that the government would prefer criminal charges against Haki Africa for operating without a licence.

“I can say clearly that they are going to face possible criminal prosecution for operating a charitable organisation without a certificate of registration.”

The officials could face up to 18 months in jail if found guilty. An attempt to reach the organisation for comment was unsuccessful as the phone number registered on their website went through to a local insurance company.

Mr Mahamed said that Muhuri, which was accused of illegally operating 13 bank accounts, was working with the board to resolve the compliance issues raised.

Under the NGO Act, all non-profit organisations are required to furnish the NGO Board with bank statements of all the accounts they operate as well as the names of all signatories.