People in Guruve reject PVO Bill, saying it gives the minister more power
Most of the people who attended the public hearings for the PVO Amendment Bill in Guruve, rejected it arguing that it gives the minister too many powers and affects civic engagement.
The PVO Bill was introduced by the government to amend the PVO Act, the bill is intended to give the government more power in controlling operations of PVOs.
Some sections of the proposed Bill give the minister power to remove the executive of the PVOs and replace it with people of his or her choice.
This has resulted in an outcry from the PVOs themselves and the citizens whose lives have been changed by the operations of the organisations.
Watch the Public Hearing HERE : https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1372572713163857
PVO Bill will affect how NGOs are helping people
One participant who identified himself as Emmanuel Nkosilathi Moyo said he does not want to hear about the Bill because it will affect how PVOs are helping people in the country.
‘’I don’t want to even hear about this Bill. I don’t want it because the minister is given too many powers in this Bill. He is given powers to appoint people who will sit on the board of the NGO. And if the NGO is into food aid, in Zimbabwe we know that this will result in food aid going to people of one party.
‘’This Bill paralyses civic engagement. It closes opportunities for citizens to engage with their representatives. MPs are liars and when they have lied. NGOs create an opportunity for the constituency to come and ask the MPs to account for their promises. So, that kind of NGO will be targeted under this Bill,’’ he said.
Moyo added that the Bill has the effect of criminalising humanitarian work in Zimbabwe.
‘’It criminalises humanitarian work, there are people on life-long drugs such as ART. The government has no money for those programs that is why at times people are asked to pay US$1 because they are subsidised by NGOs and so if you stop them, I foresee many deaths. So, because of that, I reject this, Bill,’’ he said.
Govt failure created PVOs in Zimbabwe
Another participant said the government has failed to take care of its poor people leading to the creation of various PVOs. He said it should not interfere in the operations of the PVOs as they closed a gap it created.
‘’The government is poor it has no money to assist the less privileged. For example, the department of social welfare, has no money. Long back they used to give the elderly some money through their NetOne lines. The money was little and if it was not for these NGOs, those people would have died of poverty.
‘’So, if there are people in Zimbabwe who are starting their NGOs who are looking for funds from their friends outside so that they can help the poor people and then the government tries to interfere then it means the government wants poor people to continue in poverty.
‘’So, take note that in Guruve we have rejected this Bill. There is no purpose to be discussing this Bill, there is no purpose to bring this Bill. We don’t want to discuss this, we should not discuss this,’’ he said.
People in Guruve reject PVO Bill, saying it gives the minister more power
