adminMr Kabimba over the weekend accused some non-governmental organisations of attempting to form parallel governments, and sternly cautioned them at a Mindolo Dam fundraising braai in Kitwe: “We will not allow that; if you push us into a corner, we will deregister you.”
His comments should not be perceived, or worse still taken, as an ‘empty’ threat. The matter being addressed is too serious to be treated with kids’ gloves. This is why swift action should immediately follow his comments for the betterment of this country’s governance record.
While we appreciate the fact that any growing democracy goes hand in hand with enhanced freedom of speech and expression as well as the freedom of association, the proliferation of bogus NGOs in Zambia over the past decade is an issue of grave concern.
It has almost become a norm for every penniless individual in our country to transform their financial fortunes overnight by simply forming an NGO as a platform to perpetually insult the State or sing blind praises for the State.
All that such individuals need is just a cellular phone, a laptop computer and a mobile internet modem, with which they connect with the outside world and launch their war of words for a few Rands, a few Dollars and in other cases a few Kwachas.
There are just too many ‘one-man-show’ NGOs claiming to speak on behalf of the 13 million Zambians on critical matters of national interest: the constitution-making process, the appointment of public office holders and the allocation of public resources, among other governance issues.
Such individuals, with their NGOs, should be checked sooner rather than later. We expect the ministry of Home Affairs, and particularly the Registrar of Societies, to immediately conduct a thorough audit of all NGOs in the country. Those found wanting should immediately face the wrath of the law.
This clarion call to audit all NGOs should not just end at NGOs that criticise (or is it insult) the government of the day. It should be extended even to all those whose sole existence is to insult anyone who questions government programmes — regardless of whether the inquiry is in public interest or not.
In short, we should only have NGOs that are indeed NGOs. Not political parties — ruling or opposition — in disguise. Otherwise, they should come out in the open and join the political fray by either joining existing parties or forming their own. We should not allow ourselves as a country to regress into the gutters of the pre-2011 elections, when every Goose and Gander had to form an NGO to sing the ruling party’s unfounded praises, even on issues where the government was clearly making blunders.
As such, we wish to strongly advise the popularly-elected Patriotic Front government not to embrace or tolerate the existence of such praise-singing NGOs. They can easily blind those in government to the crying voices of the voters, and lead to disastrous consequences. Let all those pro- and anti-government NGOs be thoroughly scrutinised. — Zambia Daily Mail.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda