Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: The upper house of Parliament in Zimbabwe has approved a bill that critics claim will gag civil society groups, putting them under strict government control and threat of harsh sanctions.
The Senate passed late Wednesday the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill, which requires to be signed by the president before becoming law. The text successfully sailed through the lower chamber of parliament, the National Assembly, late last year.
Ziyambi Ziyambi, Justice Minister, said the law was a necessary measure to improve accountability, administration, and transparency of charity organizations working in Zimbabwe.
He accused some people of directing money to their favorite political parties.
The minister said that the government could not afford to risk running public charity organizations being used as a cover for embezzlement, tax evasion, theft, money laundering, and partisan political activities.
Opposition parties and rights groups are complaining of an intensified government clampdown on opposition and dissent as Zimbabwe is heading toward general elections later this year.
Legislation restricts civil society
The legislation bans civil society organizations from engaging in political activities and allows the government to interfere in their work like making changes to their management and mechanism of funding.
Those found violating its provisions risk up to one year in jail and the shutting down of their organization.
