The Beitbridge Rural District Council has withdrawn its order banning non-governmental organisations that had not submitted their credentials from operating following the intervention of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.
Last month, Beitbridge district development coordinator (DDC) Sikhangezile Mafu-Moyo issued a circular advising NGOs’that had not presented their credentials to the local authority to stop operating.
Mafu listed 24 items that the civic society organisations were ordered to submit their portfolios including their funding and banking details as well as the profiles of directors.
She also requested names of partners, profiles of implementing partners, photos of administrative staff for police clearance among others.
Also requested was information regarding the relationship between the CSOs and the National Development Strategy 1 which runs from 2021 to 2025.
Representing the CSOs from the district, the Forum director Vera Musara wrote to Mafu, giving her seven days to retract the circular or face legal action.
Musara also wrote to Insiza and Bulawayo district development committees after they also issued the same directive to civic organisations in their respective districts.
She said calling for NGOs to submit some requirements was ultra vires the law.
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Musara said Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) are governed by the Private Voluntary Organisation Act [Chapter 17:05] (the Act) and there have been demands to have the NGOs register as PVOs in the new proposed law, the PVO (Amendment) Bill.
In response to Musara’s letter, Mafu said she had already withdrawn the order in a letter to the Forum executive director dated 1 February.
“This is to advise that my communication dated 18 January concerning the above reference has since been withdrawn,” Mafu said.
Insiza and Bulawayo district councils are yet to respond.
