BY SIZALOKUHLE NCUBE The European Union (EU) says it is concerned about laws that Zimbabwe is crafting that will further restrict freedom of expression.
President Emmerson Mnangagwaโs government is pushing for the amendment of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO), which civil society organisations argue is aimed at restricting their operations.
The government is also considering a new law to punish โunpatrioticโ Zimbabweans.
Timo Olkkonen, the EU head of delegation in Zimbabwe, told Europe Day celebrations in Harare on Friday that the proposed PVO Act amendments were worrying.
๐คScenes at the #EuropeDay2022 celebrations hosted by Head of Delegation of the European Union, @TimoOlkkonen in Chisipite, Harare. ๐ท Hilary Maradzika pic.twitter.com/DYHZsglxFA
— Zimbabwe Independent (@Zimindependent) May 6, 2022
โThe consequences of the PVO Bill on the operational space of the civil society is of particular acute concern,โย Olkkonen.
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โWe also fail to see the need for a Patriotic Act to restrict freedom of speech.โ
#New #TalkingPaper๐ต'๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง' – @TimoOlkkonen, @euinzimhead #EUDay2022 pic.twitter.com/GlC0kqIL4M
— The Standard Zim (@thestandardzim) May 9, 2022
The government claims the PVO Act is being amended to stem terrorism financing while the proposed Patriotic Act is meant to stop Zimbabweans from lobbying for sanctions against the country.
Olkkonen said the EU was also following closely Zimbabweโs preparations for next yearโs elections.
โAnother issue we are following closely, and also supporting through our development cooperation, are the preparations for the 2023 general elections,โ he said.
โThere will be a follow up to the EU Electoral Observation Mission from 2018 to assess the status of the recommendations made in 2018.
โRecommendations of electoral observation missions together with those of the Motlantle Commission provide a useful tool in looking at where we are in terms of political reforms in Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa has been lobbying for improved relations between the EU and Zimbabwe since coming into power after the 2017 coup, but he has been accused of failing to deliver on promises of swift political and economic reforms.
The EU has been loosening its targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe, but continues to speak against human rights violations and lack of political reforms.
