The Government says it will deregister non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that deviate from their mandate.
This was said by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lovemore Matuke in the Senate last week.
He was responding to ZANU PF Mashonaland Central Senator Alice Chimbudzi who had asked him how the Government is dealing with NGOs that interfere with the country’s electoral processes. Said Matuke:
Matters to do with NGOs and how they work when we are looking at elections, I believe that you are aware that we had an exercise prior, where a lot of NGOs were no longer operating according to their mandate. We had that problem.
The registration would say something different from what is obtaining on the ground and being done by the NGOs.
We saw that they had deviated from their mandates and most of these NGOs failed when it came to re-registration.
Those who would have deviated from their mandate we are looking for them.
If there are NGOs who are going against their mandate, kindly let us know so that we cancel their licences.
Early this year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that he will sign the Private Voluntary Organisation Bill (PVO), which critics argue may serve as the basis for restricting the operation of many NGOs.
In July last year, Mnangagwa argued that the Bill is meant to flush out dirty money and stop non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that seek to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
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