PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has called on the rural folk to be on the look-out against some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that set base in communities with ulterior motives which have no benefit for the people.
In his address at the launch of the 2021/22 Pfumvudza
farming programme in Gokwe recently, the President said Government is committed
to the improvement of lives of people especially in rural areas which have been
mostly marginalised.
However, the once marginalised communities are being taken
on board as President Mnangagwa lives his promise that no place or area should
be left behind in terms of development.
But as communities develop, there is always need for
vigilance against some NGOs that are bent on interfering in Zimbabwe’s internal
matters under the guise of humanitarian aid.
“Report any new NGOs to your Minister of State so that it
is established whether the NGO is for the good or not. If you just accept such
NGOs you end up regretting because some have ulterior motives and you may lend
yourselves in trouble,” the President said.
The call by the President comes at a time when meddlesome
NGOs, working closely with the opposition and some Western embassies have been
abusing their status to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs to push for
regime change.
This has prompted Parliament to come up with the Private
Voluntary Organisation Amendment Bill which was gazetted last week.
The Bill seeks to, among other things, penalise NGOs that
dabble in politics and which have previously been used by the US and other
Western nations to fund regime change.
Already, and ahead of the 2023 polls, the US through USAID,
had set aside US$5 million to fund NGOs under the guise of promoting rule of
law, constitutionalism, and democracy.
The Bill that was gazetted last week seeks to amend section
10 of the principal by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph
(e) as follows — “(e1) when any private voluntary organisation that supports or
opposes any political party or candidate in a presidential, parliamentary or
local government election or is a party to any breach of section 7 under Part
III of the Political Parties (Finance) Act (Chapter 2:12) as a contributor of
funds to a political party or candidate or otherwise shall be guilty of an
offence and liable to a fine of level twelve or to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding one year, or both such fine or such imprisonment.”
Government has in the past accused NGOs of abandoning their
mandates by pursuing a political agenda in support of regime change.
Apart from barring NGOs from pursuing political lobbying
the Bill’s Memorandum says the amendments are also being made, to comply with
the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) recommendations made to Zimbabwe.
Further to this, it has also become necessary to streamline
administrative procedures for private voluntary organisations to allow for
efficient regulation and registration. Herald
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