PVO Bill public hearings begin

Emmanuel Kafe

PARLIAMENT will begin conducting public hearings on the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Amendment Bill tomorrow.

The Bill was retabled in March after President Mnangagwa withheld his assent.
It had earlier been passed by both the National Assembly and Senate last year.

The Bill, which seeks to regulate the operations of private voluntary organisations, including non-governmental organisations, went through the first reading in the National Assembly recently.

Public hearings will also be held on the Persons with Disabilities Bill, which seeks to grant additional rights to individuals with disabilities and integrate them fully into society.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda said two teams consisting of members of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; and the Thematic Committee on Gender Development will conduct the hearings, which start tomorrow.

“These public hearings provide an opportunity for citizens, legal experts and civil society organisations to express their views on the Bills, so it’s open to everyone,” said Mr Chokuda.

“Persons in military uniforms, signs of rank, flags or badges and political party regalia will not be allowed access to the hearings,” he said, adding that times, dates and venues have already been published.

He said the public hearings were an important step in the legislative process, allowing stakeholders to express their views and contribute to shaping laws.

This allows citizens to influence the law-making process by sharing their concerns and suggesting improvements.
Public hearings also help parliamentarians gather information about the potential impact of the Bill.

Mr Chokuda said after the hearings, the PVOs Amendment Bill will be brought back to Parliament for its second reading before going to the committee stage for further refining.

The main purpose of the PVOs Bill is to comply with Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) recommendations made to Zimbabwe about the abuse of charities for the financing of criminal or terrorist activity.

FATF is an inter-governmental organisation that acts as a global watchdog against money laundering and terrorist financing.

It has set international standards, known as the FATF Recommendations or FATF Standards, to prevent illegal activities.