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Herald Correspondent
Opposition linked non-governmental organisations (NGOs) last week disrupted meetings of the ongoing Parliament outreach hearings on the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill after participants made contributions in its favour.
At outreach meetings held in Beitbridge and Gutu, participants castigated NGOs for delving into politics, misinforming people and influencing their contributions by giving talking points.
Participants further supported the amendment Bill highlighting that it protected communities from political lobbying and foreign interference in local processes.
Anti-government NGOs were exposed for misinforming people, telling them that if the amendment Bill passed, the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) was going to be discontinued.
At Lutumba Community Hall in Beitbridge last Thursday, Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) programmes director Varaidzo Zhou allegedly paid US$5 each to 40 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters to oppose the PVO Amendment Bill.
Zanu PF proportional representation legislator for Beitbridge, Cde Metrine Mudau, yesterday told The Herald that her team gathered positive feedback from the people regarding the amendment Bill.
“We have collected views from the people and they made their positions clear regarding this amendment.
“What we will do is to go back to parliament and give feedback on views that we tabulated,” said Cde Mudau.
The Gutu outreach at Masvingise Primary School was prematurely concluded after CCC members led by one Samuel Mawere disrupted the meeting along with ZINASU members.
A participant at the Masvingise Primary School meeting, only identified as Mr Mhembere, said the amendment Bill if passed, would protect locals from international organisations that intend to take advantage of the vulnerability of rural people to exert undue influence.
“The regulation of NGOs is a good idea as it will give more room for transparency and accountability for communities they want to represent.
“What we have seen also is that people operating these CSOs are making a livelihood out of our misery and the funding they get has become their source of livelihood,” said Mr Mhembere.
Nyaradzai Munyaradzi, a member of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe and WALPE member Stabile Dewa were accused of influencing the process by handing out twenty Itel S37 mobile phones and money to participants at Nhepure and Matizha Township in Gutu.
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