PVO Bill: It will reduce donations to Zimbabwe, says Markham
Harare North legislator Norman Markham has urged the Zanu PF government to withdraw the PVO Bill arguing that it will affect the number of donations that come to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has largely depended on donations for its health sector, with donors covering most drugs used for responding to HIV/Aids, TB, and Malaria among others.
However, the coming in of the PVO Bill before the National Assembly will likely see donors withholding their funds as they look to see how the new law will work.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is anxiously waiting to sign the Bill into law. He recently urged Parliament to speed up the process.
Political commentators believe that the Bill is coming gage PVOs and Trusts that have been exposing human rights violations in the country.
Zimbabwe has not done very well in terms of human rights standing across the globe.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, Honourable Markham said the Bill has a lot of negative effects on the country and should be scrapped.
‘’Madam Speaker, I had not even touched on the issues of the effect of this Bill. This Bill will reduce donations coming to this country. Whether we like it or not, we need every penny we get.
‘’I further want to add; if trustees are pushed out, most of the trustees are the core of communities in this country. They are the core of the communities and if you start messing around with them there is no confidence and we will blame sanctions.
‘’My last point Madam Speaker, where do the family trusts stand because I talk of trusts but let me talk of family trusts? How many tens of thousands and most of us in this House have got some sort of family trusts – how is that affected?
‘’The way I read it, I can kick you off if I want. Madam Speaker, there is no way I can remain with the family trust. It is not worth the risk.
‘’Whatever I have got, whether it is a house, a car, a bicycle, a pair of jeans that are put in the family trust that can be taken away on someone saying it is political or someone saying it is illegitimate or it is immoral. ‘’I say this because it is going to affect tens of thousands of Zimbabweans. Madam Speaker, I call desperately for this Bill to be withdrawn,’’ he said.-
PVO Bill: It will reduce donations to Zimbabwe, says Markham
