NGOs plan march on Harare to protest NGO Bill

NGOs plan march on Harare to protest NGO Bill

NCA chairman Lovemore Madhuku

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S National Association of NGOs (Nango) is expected to march on Tuesday against the proposed Non-Government Organisations (NGO) Bill which seeks to ban charity groups from operating in Zimbabwe.

At least 150 Nango representatives met in Harare this week to finalise plans for the demonstration.

The Zimbabwe government has said it wants to stop "foreign donors employing local puppets or fronts to champion foreign values, much to the detriment of national security".

NGO leaders also met United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative Victor Angelo to discuss the potential impact of the Bill on humanitarian and development projects. The UNDP co-ordinates donor aid in Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe government early this year appealed for US95-million in humanitarian assistance. At least five million Zimbabweans rely on donor aid for food.

Nango, which represents about 300 organisations, also met with Social Welfare Minister Paul Mangwana over the same issue last week.

However, it seems unlikely that the government will back down.

Should the Bill be passed, it would also violate the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding between the Southern African Development Community Council of Non-Governmental Organisation and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

President Robert Mugabe told parliament last month that government would not allow NGOs "to be conduits of foreign interference in national affairs". - Sunday Times
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