Chronicle Editor
Angela Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
PARLIAMENTARIANS will this week conduct public hearings on the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill that regulates the operations of trusts, associations and all organisations providing charitable services, everyone who benefits from and supports their work.
The Bill was gazetted in November last year and seeks to amend the Private Voluntary Organisations Act of 2001 and align it to the Constitution.
In September last year, the Cabinet received and approved the proposed amendments to the Private Voluntary Organisations Act which were presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the amendment was necessitated by the rampant growth of terrorist activities, which the current Act is silent about.
“The PVO Amendment Bill was necessitated by growing regional and global concerns about money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities. It is now known that terrorist activities can be committed using seemingly authentic transactions, either as humanitarian aid or as development assistance. Since the current PVO Act is silent in this regard, the Bill seeks to close the loophole and ensure that all PVO activities are transparent and are conducted in the national interest.
“As a member of the International Financial Action Task Force, Zimbabwe is obligated to ensure compliance by all PVOs operating in the country, without exception. Whereas registration has all along been free, the Registrar is now empowered to collect registration fees from all PVOs. The Bill prohibits PVOs from political involvement and requires them to discharge their mandate for the benefit of society’s most vulnerable,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The amendment seeks to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism by any individual or institution in Zimbabwe operating under the PVOs banner.
The amendments also seek to streamline the administrative procedures for PVOs to ensure their efficient registration, regulation and the combating of the financing of terrorism.
The week long public hearings on the Bill are starting today across the country.
Group A will cover Highfields in Harare and Rusape in Manicaland province today, Gutu in Masvingo tomorrow, Mutoko in Mashonaland East on Wednesday, Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West on Thursday and Kariba on Friday.
Group B will cover Guruve in Mashonaland Central today, Zhombe in Midlands tomorrow, Selborne Hotel and Emakhandeni Hall in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Gwanda and Beitbridge in Matabeleland South on Thursday as well as Tsholotsho and Jotsholo in Matabeleland North on Friday.
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