By Tafadzwa Chigandiwa
Government has permitted only 40 non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) that complied with its directive to operate in Harare, slapping the rest with an immediate ban.
This comes after Harare Provincial Development Coordinator, Tafadzwa Muguti ordered NGOs operating in the capital to submit to his office their 2021 work plans and proposed activities for clearance by the 9th of July.
Nine NGOs defied the order stating it was unconstitutional and threatened the independence of their operations. The nine are Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, National Association of Youth Organisations, National Transitional Justice Working Group, Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Zimbabwe National Students Union, and Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children and now face forced closure.
In a statement, Muguti gave forty NGOs the greenlight to continue operating whilst stating that those that failed to comply with his directive had ceased to operate.
“The enlisted NGOs have been permitted to conduct their operations in within Harare Metropolitan Province subject to the complying with the outlined procedures.
“Those that failed to comply with the request on the 30th of June 2021 shall with immediate effect be stopped by the law enforcement from conducting any operations whatsoever until they fully comply with the policy,” reads part of the statement.