By News correspondent
A controversial new law regulating non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe risks silencing dissent and undermining democratic freedoms, a local media watchdog has warned.
The Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Act, which came into force in April, gives sweeping powers to government regulators and criminalises loosely-defined “political activities” by NGOs.
Valentine Maponga, media officer at Veritas, a legal information charity, said the legislation could “deter grassroots organizing and silence dissent”.
The law has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations, the European Union and international human rights organisations, who fear it will further shrink civic space in the southern African nation.
Mr Maponga warned the act could damage Zimbabwe’s access to development assistance and harm its diplomatic relations with donor countries.
He said the legislation threatens to deepen mistrust between the government and civil society groups, “undermining collaborative governance and participatory development”.
Community organisations working in health, education and humanitarian relief may struggle to comply with the new requirements, risking closure or reduced services, he added.
The law restricts foreign funding to NGOs and grants broad oversight powers to the Registrar of PVOs, who can suspend organisations deemed contrary to national interests.
Zimbabwe is not alone in tightening controls on civil society. Several African countries have introduced similar measures, often citing financial transparency or security concerns.
Mozambique and Uganda have both centralised NGO oversight in recent years, following recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering.
Rwanda requires annual reporting from NGOs and restricts their commercial activities, allowing authorities to suspend groups considered “hostile” to national interests.
However, Mr Maponga said the key lesson for Zimbabwe is that “while regulation can enhance accountability, excessive government control risks stifling civil society”.
He pointed to Nigeria, where civil society has successfully advocated for self-regulation mechanisms that ensure accountability without state interference.
“The key takeaway for Zimbabwe is that development thrives when advocacy is protected, not criminalized,” Mr Maponga said.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has warned the act will “exacerbate the growing crackdown on civil society organizations” and increase human rights violations.
The group said NGO staff and board members risk arrest and imprisonment “simply for doing their work”.
Critics say the law’s vague language around prohibited “political activities” leaves civil society organisations vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement and government intimidation.