By staff reporter
Harare – A public hearing on the controversial Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill (H.B 2024) was abandoned on Friday after suspected Zanu PF youths disrupted the event, heckling and intimidating a female participant who opposed the proposed law.
The chaos erupted when the woman began her submission, prompting the rowdy group to shout her down and order her to leave the venue. Despite the hostility, she remained composed and finished her statement before departing due to the escalating tensions.
The Zanu PF supporters chanted derogatory slogans, including “Asingade ngaabude muZimbabwe, Bill redu tinorida; Hatidi zvekipihwa order nema saskum,” which roughly translates to “Those who don’t want our bill should leave Zimbabwe, we want the bill in our country, we don’t take orders from the mentally ill.”
The hearing, which lasted barely 10 minutes, was conducted by the Joint Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and the Thematic Committee on Gender Development at the Ambassador Hotel. Committee members were forced to flee the venue, fearing for their lives and safety.
Anti-riot police were later deployed to disperse the crowd, which had gathered in front of the hotel, drawing attention from passersby.
Proponents of the bill argue that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are exploiting citizens to secure donations, which are then misused for personal gain.
While those against the bill argue that it will crackdown on democratic space, and dissent.
The PVO Bill was reintroduced to parliament by president Emmerson Mnangagwa last year after passing the National Assembly and Senate.