By Staff Reporter
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Parliament has gazetted revisions to the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill, following reservations expressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa’s concerns focus on the potential misuse of charitable trusts and other organizations, which are typically not considered voluntary organizations, as conduits for criminal and terrorist financing.
Critics, however, argue that the revised PVO Bill is a calculated move to crack down on dissent, labeling some groups as proxy terrorist organizations funded for regime change.
Under Section 131 of the Constitution, the President is empowered to refer a Bill back to Parliament if he has reservations about it. The Bill is now set to be retabled before Parliament for debate.
One proposed change is in clause two of the Bill, which now provides a more detailed definition and interpretation of terms used in the principal Act.
This clause includes a broad definition of “funds or other assets,” encompassing all financial assets and assets of every kind.
The definition of a “Civil Society Oganisation” (CSO), has also been amended to ensure it covers all relevant organizations under this law, particularly in relation to preventing the laundering of terrorist funds.
“In each of the foregoing circumstances, a trust, body, or association of persons corporate or unincorporate or any institution that immediately before the commencement of the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill, 2024, was lawfully operated in Zimbabwe before being required to be registered under the new law may, after commencing registration proceedings, continue to operate pending the outcome of those proceedings,” reads the Bill.
“Further to this, it has also become necessary to streamline administrative procedures for private voluntary organisations to allow for efficient regulation and registration of charities, which are registered in Zimbabwe as private voluntary organisations,” further reads the Bill.
The definition of “PVO” excludes certain activities, such as fundraising for schools or hospitals by or on behalf of these institutions.
However, these activities may still be monitored for money laundering if conducted by institutions deemed high-risk entities by government.
Clause Six repeals the existing section of the principal Act requiring the registration of a PVO and replaces it with a more comprehensive provision.
This new provision brings certain trusts, previously excluded from registration, within the scope of the Act.
The Bill now seeks to amend the PVO act, with one of its objectives being to comply with recommendations from the international financial action taskforce concerning the abuse of charities for by organizations deemed criminal and terrorist funders by the government.
“Furthermore, it has become necessary to streamline administrative procedures for private voluntary organisations to allow for efficient regulation and registration of charities registered in Zimbabwe,” the Bill notes.
Last year, Mnangagwa withheld his assent on the PVO amendment Bill after he did not consent with some provisions after having held a secret meaning with CSOs.
The constitution provides two routes when the President withholds assent: Parliament can amend the Bill to accommodate all presidential reservations, or it can override the reservations by repassing the Bill with a two-thirds majority in the national assembly within 21 days.