Published by the government of Zimbabwe
18 June 2008
Harare — GOVERNMENT has lifted the suspension of field operations for non-governmental organisations running supplementary feeding schemes and those involved in Aids-related issues.
Last week, the Government suspended field operations of all NGOs to vet their activities amid suspicion that most of them were dabbling in politics.
In a circular sent to the NGOs last Friday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Acting Secretary Mr Sydney Mhishi said supplementary feeding and anti-retroviral drug rollout did not entail community mobilisation hence could not be affected by the suspension.
"The suspension does not prohibit those on ARV therapy and those benefiting from home-based care programmes to continue accessing drugs and therapeutic feeding from clinics and hospitals.
"Supplementary feeding is a community-based programme which does not entail community mobilisation by NGOs, hence it falls outside those affected by the suspension," said Mr Mhishi.
The circular was sent after Government met with civil society in Harare last Thursday seeking clarification on the definition of field operations, interpretation of suspension, reasons for suspension and duration of the suspension.
Mr Mhishi said the NGOs had not been necessarily banned or de-registered but were only suspended pending investigations.
He said the NGOs were suspended to allow for investigations but head offices have not been affected.
"Since suspension does not imply banning operations at head offices, regional and district offices are not affected, except field operations," Mr Mhishi said.
On the position of churches, he said no church was registered in terms of the Private Voluntary Organisations Act, therefore in terms of the suspension, churches were not affected.
Other suspended NGOs would be allowed to resume normal operations as soon as investigations were complete.
Contacted for comment, National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations communi-cations manager Mr Fambai Ngirande welcomed the lifting of the suspension and hoped this would be extended to all NGOs.
He said while HIV and Aids organisations had been cleared to resume operations, people living with HIV and Aids did not just need ARVs but a lot more support including food.
Zimbabwe has more than 400 NGOs involved in HIV and Aids-related work.
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