Staff Reporter
Government has approved the proposed amendments to the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Act (Chapter 17:05), that will ensure that all PVO activities are transparent and are conducted in the national interest.
Speaking during the 29th Post Cabinet Briefing the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, expressed Government’s resolve to expedite PVOs Amendment Bill saying, “The Bill seeks to close the loopholes and ensure that all PVO activities are transparent and are conducted in the national interest.”
Mutsvangwa said, “The growing regional and global concerns about money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities is what urged Government to consider amending the Act with urgency. It is now known that terrorist activities can be committed using seemingly authentic transactions, either as humanitarian aid or as development assistance.”
She added, “It also seeks to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism by any individual or institution in Zimbabwe operating under the PVOs banner.”
Cabinet also agreed to bestow powers to the Registrar of PVOs in order to reign in some rogue elements within the PVO, NGOs and CSOs that have subversive intentions and harbour regime change ideas.
“The amendments also seek to streamline the administrative procedures for PVOs in order to ensure their efficient registration, regulation and the combating of the financing of terrorism. The Registrar of PVOs is also being accorded powers to penalize non-compliant organizations,” Mutsvangwa said.
As a way of limiting the number of PVOs that can register at any given time, Government approved a registration fee to any organisation wishing to operate as a PVO.
“Whereas registration has all along been free, the Registrar is now empowered to collect registration fees from all PVOs.
Furthermore, with the passing of the Bill, Government seeks to enforce strict prohibition laws against PVOs who choose to meddle in the political affairs of our country. PVOs have been known to be front offices for regime change organisations and nations. Towards elections time PVOs get donations from the west supposedly for the vulnerable only to be diverted to sponsor demonstrations, fake abductions and opposition political parties with an intention for regime change.
“PVOs are therefore prohibited from undertaking political lobbying on behalf of any individual, organisation or political party, and the Bill stipulates penalties for those PVOs that violate the Act.
“The Registrar can also impose civil penalty orders on PVOs which break the law, with high risk PVOs being placed under monitoring. The Executive Committee of a PVO can be suspended for either maladministration or failure to discharge the declared mandate,” Minister Mutsvanga said.
SADC Region has of late been dealing with terrorist activities in the Province of Cabo Delgado, North of Mozambique a situation that is threatening regional peace. Eswathini was recently marred by violent protests, which also severely threatened the peace of that nation. The PVOs and CSOs in those countries were fingered to have a hand it the disturbances. As a result, Government has decided to amend the PVOs Act in order to close those loopholes that will expose our country to civil unrest funded by some of the rogue PVOs under the guise of helping the vulnerable.
