PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered the 10th Parliament to finalise the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Bill in a development that will restrict the operations of NGOs in the country, shrinking the civic space.
The Zimbabwean government introduced the Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) Amendment Bill in November 2021 to "counter terrorism and prohibit political lobbying from non-governmental organisations".
Civic Society Organisations castigated the legislative piece for attempting to muzzle their operations owing to strict measures which will compel them to fall under the direct supervision of the government in ways which include the monitoring of transactions with the latter's rights to shut down operations deemed counter-productive to the state's operations.
A revised bill was presented in June 2022, which imposed stricter and more repressive clauses and was passed by the Senate on 1 February 2023.
Despite expectations in some quarters of society to the effect that since the last Bill outlived its legal cycle before promulgation hence the need to restart the entire process, Mnangagwa presented the PVO Bill among pending instruments awaiting finalisation.
"May I preface the legislative segment of my address by highlighting that Parliament has an obligation to expedite the enactment of all Bills that, for one reason or another, are outstanding from previous Sessions of the August House.
The list includes Bills relating to: Persons with Disabilities; Administration of Estates Amendment; Civil Aviation Amendment; Death Penalty Abolition; Parks and Wildlife Amendment; Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment; and Mines and Minerals Amendment," he said.
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About 18 Bills are set to be processed by the 10th Parliament under tasks which point to a busy schedule ahead.
Other Bills to be worked on include the introduction of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Bill which is expected to enhance the efficiency and good corporate governance of the ZIMSEC Board, the Teaching Professions Council Bill will regulate the conditions of service and produce a code of conduct for all teachers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Bill, Service Pensions Bill establishing the State Service Pensions Fund, while the Public Service Act will be amended to align with the Constitution. The Rural Electrification Fund Act and the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act and the Pipelines Act.
The Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill, Protection of WhistleBlowers) Bill, the Electronic Transactions and Electronic Commerce Bill, the Standards Bill; the Legal Metrology Bill and the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill and the Media Practitioners Bill.
