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Zimbabwe’s Senate has approved a law that critics say will expose civil society groups to severe sanctions and the threat of tight government control.
The Senate late Wednesday voted in favor of the Private Volunteers Amendment Bill, which must be ratified by the president before the law can be passed. The document passed the country’s other parliament, the National Assembly, late last year.
Justice Minister Giambi Giambi said the law was a “necessary step to improve control, accountability and transparency” of charities operating in the country.
He accused him of “directing money to favored political parties.”
“No public charity can risk being used as a cover for theft, embezzlement, tax evasion, money laundering or partisan political activity,” Ziyambi told the Senate.
Rights groups and opposition parties have complained of a tightening government crackdown on dissent as the country heads into general elections later this year.
The bill prohibits civil society organizations from getting involved in politics and allows states to interfere in their governance and activities, including by altering internal controls and funding.
Anyone found to have violated its provisions risks up to one year in prison and closure of the organization.
– Obscenity Law –
Only one senator voted against the law. The lower house is dominated by the ruling ZANU party and the main opposition group, the Citizens Coalition for Change, has no seats.
The lone opponent, Senator Morgen Komich, called the bill “obscene” and said NGOs provide important assistance in areas such as health, education and food security.
“Zimbabwe is a country that does not have a strong economy to cater for all Zimbabweans,” Komichi said.
Critics argue that the broad scope of the law risks effectively criminalizing the activities of organizations hated by the government.
Some warn that it could lead to a drastic cut in foreign aid, which comes through non-governmental organizations and is estimated to be Zimbabwe’s third largest source of income.
Prominent journalist and activist Hopewell Chinono tweeted that the “hard” laws were similar to South Africa’s apartheid-era laws and prohibited certain civil society groups from receiving foreign aid or funding. Stated.
“This is the lowest level a modern state can reach, especially when it comes to freedom, independence and democracy,” Peter Mutasa, director of the Zimbabwe Crisis Coalition, a civil society arm, told AFP. It is a nation born through the struggle for
“I didn’t expect it to sink like this.”
He said up to 18,000 people working for non-governmental organizations in the country were at risk of losing their jobs.
President Emerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017, has seen widespread power outages as he struggles to alleviate deep-seated poverty, end chronic blackouts and curb inflation. Faced with dissatisfaction.
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