Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi has tabled the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill in Senate for the second reading and it has been read for the third time.It now awaits the Presidential assent to become law.
Minister Ziyambi said the government appreciated the role played by PVOs, especially in the areas of health, education and other social services but said some were abusing their mandates to engage in partisan politics.
He said the proposed law will streamline the registration of PVOs to ensure they operate within the parameters under which they were registered under.
The Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Amendment Bill, which has been criticized by opposition parties and civic groups for muzzling government critics and narrowing democratic space, has gone a step closer to becoming law after sailing through the Senate.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are on record calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) amendment bill and urged government to initiate comprehensive consultations with the public and NGO.
The PVO amendments bill introduces stricter registration requirements imposes harsh criminal and civil penalties for vaguely defined offences and completely removes the PVO board and creates an executive and powerful office of a registrar of PVOs vested with all decision-making powers to register or deny registration to applicants for PVO status
